Sports and Athletics Demand that the Body Functions at Optimal Levels

An essential component to optimal physical performance is to ensure that cells function at their best.  During athletic activities cells are stressed, strained, worn, and exhausted.  To recover as quickly as possible and gain in mass, strength and endurance, growth factors are a key component.

Growth factors, (aka cytokines and neuropeptides), are biologically active, small proteins that regulate normal cell growth, cell development and function, and ultimately cell death.

We offer hGH with its own formulations under the Secure label, and a combination of IGF-1, PBDGBB, TGFb1, and GMC-SCF together under the Optimunne label.  Homeopathic growth factors are patented.  The president of Optimal Wellness Center, who worked with the medical scientist who developed them, has licensed their patented use.

            First an overview of the growth factors will be given as research has shown then to                        normally be expressed in the body.
            Then there is a homeopathic overview as our peer-reviewed clinical studies,                         preliminary clinical studies, and anecdotal reporting have documented.
            Finally, additional information will be given to provide you with greater knowledge of                          how growth factors are crucial to all athletic and sports success.

Physiologically as normally found in the body . . .
Human Growth Hormone (hGH) is a cell signaling growth factor.  It is technically not a steroid or a hormone because it signals cells using an exclusive growth factor signaling pathway.   HGH is the growth factor that controls metabolism as well as aids the body to make IGF-1 to then better uptake nutrients, build muscle and increase lean body mass.  It is found in the brain, eyes, immune cells, heart and lungs.  HGH also helps the G protein work correctly.  In the body, hGH helps shift metabolism to strengthen the physical body, coordinate muscles, and improve target organ functions such as liver, Islets of Langerhans, intestines, skin, prostate, and uterus.  Most importantly, hGH stimulates release of IGF-1, which then stimulates the growth of lean mass.

Human Growth Hormone & Stress - How it can Affect Athletic Performance
Most people live in a mentally and emotionally stressful social environment.  Perceived stress, real or imagined, arises from sensory perceptions that tap memories, evoke emotions, and use lessons learned from specialized areas stored deep in the brain called, the “limbic system” or “primitive brain”. HGH and IGF-1 significantly regulate when and how limbic system information is used and how it is balanced. The hGH-IGF-1 axis plays a critical role in stress responses at the hypothalamic-pituitary axis and which stress responses should be accessed when. HGH and IGF-1 influence which cells react to stress to survive and thrive or which cells die.

Chronic stress results in undesirable physiologic and psychological changes, such as increased insulin resistance, digestive system instability, disturbed sleep-wake cycles, depressed mood, a poor sense of well-being and high blood pressure.  Over-supplementation is but one example of a physical stress on the body.  Chronic stress contributes to the body’s breakdown and interferes with efficient use of energy.  We literally exhaust our self and our mental capability during chronic stress.  The effects of long term stress are losses in physical flexibility, agility, performance, and sleep (Brewitt 2002).  Chronic stress is very detrimental to hGH responsiveness (Brewitt 2002).

Homeopathic hGH …
has been clinically proven against placebo and published in a peer-reviewed journal to increase energy, improve sleep, decrease fat, reduce stress, increase memory, reduce anger, optimize muscle tone, improve physical performance and burn fat effectively regardless of health, age, or gender.  Homeopathic hGH at the low potency clinically tested raised IGF-1 blood levels by nearly 20% in five days of use.  Homeopathic hGH helps the body relax, which affects the perisympathetic nervous system, especially if the body is too on edge, anxious and in a state of fear.  

Homeopathic hGH overview
Double-blind, placebo controlled studies in three different cities and double-blind, placebo controlled homeopathic provings in two different cities were conducted with homeopathic hGH. Over 200 people were evaluated in various clinical studies on homeopathic hGH. Many benefits were noted; an overview of potential benefits of homeopathic IGF-1 includes:

• Increased concentration                  
• Increased energy, increase power and physical performance
• Increased lean body mass with greater strength
• Reduced stress and anger outbursts           
• Improved sleep                               
• Healthy appetite
• Loss of fat build up                        
• Healing in mouth and relief from bleeding gums
• Relief from pains and cramping      
• Relief from headaches (commonly associated with a toxic liver)

Physiologically as normally found the in body . . .
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) is a multifunctional growth factor produced throughout the body with the highest concentration derived from the liver as a direct response to a signal from human growth hormone.  IGF-1 is also produced in the intestines, kidney, spleen, pancreas, lung, heart, testes, brain, and other central nervous system locations.  IGF-1 is a relatively small single chain polypeptide of 70 amino acids with three disulfide bridges originating from a 130-amino acid precursor.   IGF-1 regulates the cell cycle, determining which cells enter into the DNA phase of the cell cycle and progress into cell division.  IGF-1 levels stall entry into DNA synthesis until damaged DNA are repaired.  Without entering the cell itself, like all other growth factors, IGF-1 is able to directly enhance cell function through its cell signaling ability.

IGF-1 is the key messenger for human growth hormone and possesses potent anabolic and cell growth effects.  After the age of thirty, natural production of IGF-1 continues to decrease with age.  Known as the “progression factor”, IGF-1 assists in driving competent cells toward cell division and replication.  Often IGF-1 is all that a healthy cell needs for successful activation.  However, IGF-1 in cooperation with Platelet Derived Growth FactorBB, (PDGFBB), increases the cell’s ability to complete DNA synthesis.  In addition to cell growth by division, IGF-1 assists the body by enhancing cell specialization.  Hormonal functions, such as the anabolic activity of hGH depend directly on the production and presence of IGF-1 to achieve positive results.  Studies have shown that blood levels of IGF-1 increase significantly in the body following strenuous workouts.  This increase is generally attributed to either the need for higher requirement in the muscles to handle increased weight load or to impact the regenerative process for muscle recovery from injury. 

Homeopathic dilutions of IGF-1 …
have been clinically tested and shown as safe in adults and children in double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. 

Homeopathic IGF-1 regulates appetite, improves sleep, and provides states of well-being.  It also helped increase endurance to get through the day.  Individuals in intense athletic workouts remark how their physical endurance is enhanced and recovery time from a workout is greatly speeded up.  

Taken homeopathically, IGF-1 has also been shown to assist in recovery from depression, increase mental clarity and memory, reduce anxiety, and general support the health of the nervous, endocrine and immune systems.

Homeopathic IGF-1 overview
Double-blind, placebo controlled pilot studies and double-blind, placebo controlled homeopathic provings have been conducted on IGF-1. Over 170 people have enrolled in various clinical studies on homeopathic IGF-1 alone and in combination with other homeopathic growth factors. The types of findings relate to mental states of ‘feeling blue’, pre-menstrual stress, viral infections, non-specific states of inflammation, gut issues and bloating. Many general benefits of homeopathic IGF-1 include:

• Improved sense of well-being                                 
• Memory improved with enhanced focus
• Mood swings balanced                                           
• Increased energy and improved endurance
• Balanced appetite and improved control                
• Improved sleep
• Decreased stress                                                      
• Improved muscle tone                                            
• Better concentration                       
• Decrease in non-specific inflammation

Physiologically as found in the body …
Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGFBB) is called a “competence factor”, facilitating entry into the active cell cycle; the process by which the body replaces or repairs older, damaged cells with younger healthier cells.  PDGFBB enables you to make more lean mass. PDGFBB strengthens arterial walls, brain function and cell surface network.  Macrophages, platelets, endothelial and smooth muscle cells near an injured area all secrete PDGFBB to assist cell repair, which in turn eases the pain associated with cell damage.  During wound healing two processes occur; first PDGFBB stimulates the proliferation of fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells, then second, macrophages and fibroblasts within the injured area produce more extra-cellular matrix material to close the wound.  Cells most responsive to PDGFBB are skin, vasculature, nervous system, immune system, smooth muscle cells and embryonic cells.

PDGFBB controls the timing and growth of cells by moving them out of a resting phase and into an active phase.  It works closely with IGF-1 to overcome cell fatigue and increase healing.  PDGFBB increases mineral uptake and normalizes gene expression.  It strengthens arterial walls, brain function and cell surface networks.

PDGFBB and IGF-1 often work together to move cells through the enter cell cycle to promote healing, repair, regulate gene expression, repair damaged DNA and maintain optimal homeostasis (balance) within the body.

Homeopathic PDGFBB
Homeopathic PDGFBB is believed to stimulate the body into responding in the positive ways as if it were physically present.  It appears that it its stimulus enhances the benefits derived from other homeopathic growth factors.  It is predicted to assist in alleviating various kinds of aches and pains, as well as be effective in improving stamina, and relieving minor respiratory conditions.

Physiologically as normally found in the body . . .
Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1 (TGFb1) works as a general anti-inflammatory, including to help thwart inflammation in the body from over-training.  It is also know to relieve liver toxicity and assists with heavy metal detoxification.  TGFb1 is particularly good for allergies, sinus congestion, headaches and lower back pain.  Target organs include: the live, kidney, colon, spinal cord, breast, brain, prostate, bones, pancreas and lungs.  Unlike most growth factors, TGFb1 is both a stimulator and inhibitor of cellular replication depending upon the cell type, timing and concentration of TGFb1.  TGFb1 is mainly secreted by the kidneys, placenta, platelets and macrophages and effects a wide range of cells in the body.  TGFb1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of disease as a mediator or inflammation, as well as tissue repair.  TGFb1 is prototypic of a multifunctional signaling molecule for the body.  It acts as one step in the multi-step action pathway determining a cell’s fate to live, die, or differentiate.  It is only one in a set of other signals working to coordinate cell-to-cell communication and feedback controls within the neuro-immuno-endocrine network.  TGFb1 works as a potent anti-inflammatory allowing the body to speed up the detoxification processes.  

Homeopathic TGFb1 … works as a general anti-inflammatory.   Athletes report that including homeopathic speeds their workout recovery. 

Physiologically as normally found in the body . . .
Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) is well known in the medical literature to support bone marrow cells, skin health, and promote red blood cell health.  It helps naïve lymphocytes and memory cells (CD45) from over-training. GM-CSF stimulates immune diversity and improves resistance to new infections.  GM-CSF activates the specialized function of immune cells to engulf toxins and kill damaged or viral-infected, abnormal cells.

Homeopathic GM-CSF …
is designed to assist the body at the level of ‘stem cells’ in the bone marrow and also on the skin surface with anti-inflammatory-like healing properties for wounds and abrasions.  Along with TGFb1, it is designed to help stimulate an anti-inflammatory response from over-training. Anecdotal evidence has shown homeopathic GM-CSF to be effective in reliving ongoing minor skin infections and alleviate flu-like symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and headaches.  GM-CSF may block measles and herpes outbreaks while improving immune strength and vision, alleviating diarrhea, fevers, and/or exhaustion. It supports recovery from flu symptoms and assists topically with skin outbreaks of various types.

When Less is More
Growth factors are active within the body at very low physiological concentrations that range from nanogram levels (10-9 molar, or .0000000001) and lower.  This is exponentially below any pharmacological level.  Higher than normal concentrations of growth factors, or inappropriately activated growth factors contribute to pathophysiological (abnormal) cell signaling 6 (Bellavite & Signorini 1995).   

As you can see, in the case of growth factors, if a tiny bit is good, a lot more is definitely not better.  To do otherwise would pose the risk of irreversibly interfering with on/off activation and feedback loops that influence growth factors and hormones … the dangers ‘roid’ users face.  A magazine ad recently stated., “but no effective option existed other than pharmaceutical recombinant IGF-1 injectable forms.”  This injectable lie is the last thing you would ever want to try, unless you had a death wish.  No one with any knowledge of IGF-1 would ever offer IGF-1 as an injectable.

Homeopathic Growth Factors are not Finished Pharmaceutical Drugs

The 2nd largest medical discipline in the world is homeopathy.  Growth factors (aka cytokines and neuropeptides) at homeopathic levels is a specialty field of homeopathic medicine developed in Washington state in the 1990’s.

Here is the scientific basis:  Growth factors are produced in the body in very minute amounts.  Clinical trails have proven that growth factors can be safely taken orally at homeopathic levels (under a 6X (.000001) potency).  In over ten years of use, there has never been a single adverse effect reported of their use at these levels.

Growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGFBB) and human growth hormone (hGH) participate in various stages of cell growth.  

During several important developmental stages, changes occur that are fundamental for cell health. Examples of such events are: nerve cell development and specialization, protection against toxins, detoxification processes, neuronal survival, neuronal outgrowth and nutritional uptake.

Think of How Your Muscle Cells Need to Recover from Workouts
Specific growth factors, such as PDGFBB, IGF-1, hGH and TGFb1 play critical roles early in the G1 phase of the cell cycle where the cell's final behavior is determined.  PDGFBB, IGF-1, and hGH support positive feedback to drive the cell cycle forward toward DNA synthesis and cell division, whereas TGFb1 provides negative feedback to induce cell death or 'hold position' signals depending upon environmental cues surrounding the cell, such as given by other neighboring cell signals.
Growth Factors provide Unique Information to Specific Cell Receptors.
Unless the molecule is identical to that which is produced in the body, no drug or supplement has specific receptors located in the outer cell membranes waiting for information to direct and balance the cell’s activities. 
These growth factors tell cell receptors what the body needs.  This includes:
            When and how to let nutrients into the cell
            When and what to eliminate as toxins
            How to maximize energy
            How to shift fuel metabolism for body repair and lean muscle building
            How to restore homeostasis in the immune, nervous and immune systems
            How to fight chronic viral infections
            Plus hundreds of other essential bodily functions that lead to healing and better overall health. 

As we grow older, starting with puberty, and especially after the approximate age of 30, we gradually produce lower and lower amounts of growth factors.  This directly affects how your body is able to respond to exercise, including the food and supplements which you take.  Stacking can not force your body to respond in an optimal way, but will instead lead to the undesired result we call ‘hitting the wall’.

I have found through my own experience and conversations with hundreds of athletes, the response time generally gets a little longer as one gets older.  This includes noticing greater endurance, recovery time from workouts, and measureable size increases.
   
The body’s response to Homeopathic Growth Factors is not like pharmaceutical drugs.

Taking Homeopathic Growth Factors …

The Sequence        When taken orally, neural lymphatic vessels in the mouth detect the                                                             bioelectric signal of each growth factor
                                 The nervous system communicates the presence to cells with cell                                                                  receptor sites specific to these growth factors
                                 These cells sense and react to the presence of these signals
                                 Cell functioning is non-molecularly activated and a cascade of                                                                      internal activities within the cell begins
                                 Cell operations seek to harmonize
                                 Cell-to-cell communication improves
                                  Immune, nervous, endocrine and other systems normalize                                                                                functions
                                  Symptoms lessen and / or cease – for observable signs such as                                                                      sleep problems and soreness from workouts.
                                   Normal body homeostasis is assisted and healthy functioning is                                                                      optimized

Evidence                  Anecdotal evidence and homeopathic growth factor functions                                                                         support this. 
                                  A multi-site, clinical using human growth hormone study was                                                                           successful and validates this hypothesis
                                  Certain individuals out there constantly deride homeopathy.  Some                                                               of the most vociferous are paid mouth-pieces for the pharmaceutical                                        companies, which is not surprising.  What is sad is these detractors
                                       fail to ask a single well thought-out question so they could learn. 
                                  That however would conflict with their agenda.

Some interesting facts about growth factors.

In the body, growth factors are produced in very, very minute amounts.  Different tissues produce different growth factors.  Different growth factors affect different tissues.

Growth factors have a half life in minutes.

Growth factors do not enter the cell, but rather signal to specific cell receptor for that growth factor, making them ‘wiggle’, thereby indirectly triggering a cascade of events within the cell.

Human growth hormone (hGH), aka somatotrophin, is not really a hormone, but a growth factor.  hGH has no benzene ring which hormones are known to have and it does not enter the cell, but rather attaches to a specific cell receptor site.

hGH is also called the ‘master hormone’, because in addition to directly stimulating the production of IGF-1, it also exerts an influence on a wide ranges of different growth factors and hormones.

 Growth factor instruction to the cells must take place before cell nutrition, cell growth, cell repair, cell division, cell differentiation, and even cell death can occur

Cell signaling underlies all mental and physical activities.  Its ultimate goal is balance, allowing cells to function harmoniously with each other.  A cell’s ability to process a broad array of diverse cell signals into an appropriate small array of intracellular responses depends upon a unique cascade of events in the signaling pathway. (Brewitt, B. Bioelectromagnetic Medicine and HIV/AIDS Treatment: Clinical Data and Hypothesis for Mechanism of Action in AIDS and Alternative Medicine: The Current State of the Science, ed. LJ Standish, C. Calabrese, ML Galantino, New York, NY, Churchill Livingston, 2002.)

How Does Cell Signaling and Memory Activation Work?

First, the growth factor, (located in the extracellular fluid which surrounds all cells)                                          communicates a message.
Then, specific cell surface receptors for each signaler located on the bi-lipid cell surface                                     membrane catch the growth factor signal, and in response, the cell receptor                                             changes shape.
Almost simultaneously, G-proteins located within the electrically-charged cell surface                                        membrane mobilize and transmit the message from the growth factor. 
This G-protein signaling activates a cascade of many secondary messenger molecules                                 which further carry the growth factor’s information through the cell’s interior to                                        the DNA, which is located in the cell’s nucleus.
When the DNA receives the information, the cell’s behavior changes.

Note: With the exclusion of opiates, drugs do not use this pathway.

.   
How are Homeopathic Growth Factors Derived?
When the pure, recombinant growth factor is serially diluted and systematically shaken (succussed) down to an undetectable homeopathic level, it is done in pure water or ethanol.  During this repetitive process of systematic gentle shaking (succussion), the bioelectric resonance of the growth factor molecule is imprinted into the solution.  Note that every molecule possesses a bioelectric energy which is unique to its particular molecular structure.  The processes of dilution and gentle succussion enables that energy to be imprinted into the final product, by which time the ethyl alcohol is gone and only water and the molecular imprint remain.

Think of it as a fingerprint of the molecular image left in the water.   The homeopathically-prepared solution can then be left in a liquid form to be taken as drops or spray, or can be rendered into a solid tablet or topical form.

The body is actually able to sense (read) this fingerprint through its nerve cells.  In the body, there are certain places where nerve endings are concentrated and particularly sensitive to external stimulus.  One of these is the tongue (lingual).  When liquid is sprayed, drops are put in the mouth, or a tablet is chewed, the electrically-charged lymphatic immune cells sense the presence of that particular bioelectric resonance, and think that the growth factor is present.   

Note:  You may read some marketer’s ads implying that complex amino acid molecules can enter into one’s system through cells in the mouth lining.  That is false.

Though somewhat different, think of this stimulus like getting a whiff of a molecule with a particular smell (perhaps perfume or food), that makes you think of a certain event from your childhood.   You have not ingested that molecular ‘whiff’, but your nervous system recognizes it from bioelectric stimulation of olfactory nerves and awakens that memory from years ago.

This bioelectric “presence” of the growth factor stimulates the immune-nervous system to respond as though the growth factor were present, and so the message is carried to the whole body.  The appropriate cells with cell receptor sites for that signal respond and activate that in response to this growth factor, thereby starting a cascade of events within the cell.  As you can see, this method of growth factor recognition and response, unlike taking a drug, can not create the situation of an ‘overdose’ which prescribed drugs have as an inherent danger.  Consequently you do not have potentially dangerous side effects that a drug could have.

Q        How do energetic imprints work if the neuro-lymphatics in the mouth detect the energetic            imprint of growth factor signals?  How do the cells in the brain or intestines respond to a stimulus from the lymphatic vessels in the mouth?

A        The immuno-nervous system connects all organs and cells throughout the body.  You can see this in the way that acupuncture works.  When the nerve cells in the mouth sense the ‘presence’ of growth factors signals, this information is transmitted electrically throughout the body and the cells which have receptor sites that can respond to this stimulus are thereby activated.

Cell signaling by growth factors is how cells talk to each other to effectively coordinate and heal immune, nervous and endocrine activities.  This process is even more fundamental to good health than vitamins, minerals, herbs and amino acids because cell signaling underlies all mental, emotional, spiritual and physical activities.

Just what are Homeopathic Levels?

As mentioned, the body produces growth factors and hormones in minute physiological levels.

Let us look at some of the homeopathic potencies (dilutions or concentrations) which have been anecdotally and clinically proven to be effective.

IGF-1
            30C = 1 x 10-60  which is the same as ...
                        .000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001
            1M = 1 x 10-2000  which is the same as ...
                        .000 ... there would be a total of 1,999 zeros, then a 1 for this dilution.

PDGFBB
                        30C = 1 x 10-60                                                Instead of filling the page with zeros, I trust you can see just
            1M = 1 x 10-2000                     how dilute the formulations are prepared.           

TGFB1
            30C = 1 x 10-60
            1M = 1 x 10-2000

GM-CSF
            200C = 1 x 10-400

hGH
            6X= 1 x 10-6      = 0.000001   
            6C = 1 x 10-12=  = 0.000000000001
12C = 1 x 10-24=  = 0.000000000000000000000001  
            100C = 1 x 10-200
            200C = 1 x 10-400

Please note:
At homeopathic concentrations (dilutions) of less than 10-12, the molecular presence can no longer be       measured.
When succussed (homeopathically diluted) to less than 12C, or 10-24, molecules are not considered to       present.
It is the unique bioelectric fingerprint (which all molecules have), of the growth factor to which the body       senses and reacts.
Not just any dilution can achieve the desired result.  Exact starting concentrations must be reduced to       specific dilutions.
Growth factors and hormones rendered homeopathically are patented.

Growth factors are abundant throughout the body when it is healthy.
 
People experiencing mental or physical stress, illnesses, and toxicities may have depleted and/or out-of-balance growth factor production.  This means healthy cell-to-cell communication and overall bodily functions are inhibited and blocked.  This can include the feeling of having “hit the wall”.  When growth factor signaling is out of balance we feel:

            Tired                                                    Inattentive                               Fixated
            Anti-social                                           Angry                                      Out of rhythm
            Sick                                                     Unable to sleep well                Moody

Summary of benefits from homeopathic dilutions of Growth Factors

            Clinically shown safe & effective
            Coordinate activities throughout the body’s nervous, endocrine & immune systems.
            No hormones, steroids, human organs, or animal parts are used.
            All natural, no alcohol, chemicals or synthetics
            No toxic side effects
            Easy oral or topical applications

If you have questions, please call 360-204-5504 or email OptimalWellness@hotmail.com
Thank you for reading this booklet.  Many of the ideas presented are fairly new to the reader.  The goal is to make them as clear and easy to understand as possible.  As time goes on, we will continue to update the materials presented.  If you have questions or constructive comments, please do not hesitate to email: OptimalWellness@hotmail.com.