Palumboism AKA HGH Gut
What is Palumboism?
Palumboism is a rare but serious condition affecting athletes and bodybuilders who abuse
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) beyond the recommended dose. People with palumboism (HGH Gut) may occasionally suffer from an abnormally enlarged stomach despite having a lean muscular build due to abused intake of excessive amounts of HGH with the addition of High Doses of Insulin. High Dosing Insulin is really the primary issue and cause for HGH Gut, which is seldom discussed as it is much easier to point the finger at HGH and put the sole responsibility on excessive HGH that leads to HGH Gut, however this is not science nor medicine based, it is the excessive abuse of Insulin that causes the HGH Gut that we have come to see on stage at body building competitions.
Who is Palumboism (HGH Gut) named after?
Palumboism was named after
Dave Palumbo, the first bodybuilder in whom the condition was profound enough to be diagnosed as a consequence of Excessive Insulin and HGH. Although he never was a professional bodybuilder, he was actively working towards a career in bodybuilding from 1995 to 2004 with a whopping body weight of 300 pounds.
Who can be affected by Palumboism (HGH Gut)?
Although the exact pathophysiology of Palumboism (HGH Gut) is not well understood, it is believed to be due to hypersensitivity to the human growth hormone. Growth Hormone exerts its effects on the entire body and is not just involved in muscle development. Due to its multi-organ effect, it results in organomegaly of the visceral organs which is responsible for the enlarged abdomen. It can even be thought of as a form of induced acromegaly as it is highly similar to its presentation as well as the underlying mechanism. In addition, as mentioned previously the excessive use of Insulin which can be life altering is the real culprit when discussing HGH gut and only on very rare occasions under strict Medical Doctor monitoring should Insulin be taken and only for exact durations and dosage.
The similarities between Acromegaly and Palumboism (HGH Gut)
Acromegaly is a result of an abnormality in the pituitary gland such as a pituitary adenoma resulting in excessive secretion of growth hormone. In acromegaly, the condition can take up to 12 years to diagnose due to the gradual progressive disease course. Patients present with complaints of joint pain, progressively increasing shoe or glove size, and even abdominal enlargement. All of these symptoms are due to abnormal secretion of growth hormone for prolonged durations resulting in enlarged joints, cartilage, organs, hands, and feet. The condition can be fatal as it could lead to cardiovascular failure from cardiomyopathy.
Similar findings can be found in those abusing Insulin. Apart from enlarged abdominal viscera, cardiomegaly can also be a consequence of excessive chronic use of HGH which can result in sudden cardiac death from fatal arrhythmias or heart failure from ventricular hypertrophy of the heart.
What causes the abdominal enlargement seen in Palumboism (HGH Gut)?
In Palumboism (HGH Gut), the oblique and rectus abdominis muscles on the abdomen enlarge to such an extent that the abdomen has a protruded enlarged appearance. Due to its distinct appearance, Palumboism (HGH Gut) has also been called steroid or roid gut, HGH bloat, HGH gut, bodybuilder belly, muscle gut, bubble gut, insulin gut, etc.
Although a rare condition, Palumboism (HGH Gut) has been found in increasing frequency in bodybuilders. It came to light during the 1990s when bodybuilding competitions became a platform for fame and competition. However, HGH is not the sole contributor to the development of this condition. People consuming a high-calorie diet with a significant proportion of carbohydrates using HGH along with insulin were found to be at the highest risk of developing this condition.
Can Palumboism (HGH Gut) be treated?
Because Palumboism (HGH Gut) is a rare condition, there have been limited studies on how to treat it thereby rendering it impossible to establish any guideline to treat it.
But perhaps the first step should be to stop further usage of insulin, and limit calorie intake allowing the body to rest from the excessive stress it has been on during the duration of HGH intake. Additionally, any person suffering from the classic symptoms of Palumboism needs to consult a specialist who is experienced in sports and rehabilitation as the specialist will undoubtedly have faced similar situations with other athletes.
How to take HGH without the developing Palumboism?
Your abdomen can become bigger due to malnutrition, especially at the end of the cutting phase or before the competition. Lots of bodybuilders use carbohydrates to fill their muscles up a bit more.
What happens in this case? Their body is very dehydrated due to diuretics. Without doubt, this is associated with colossal deficiency of certain elements (potassium, sodium, calcium, etc.). It is very dangerous for health and life (diuretics are considered one of the most dangerous types of sports medicine). In addition, they may lead to a significant slowdown in the digestive process: carbohydrates must be transformed into muscle glycogen (you will need water that does not exist in your body).
As a result, the process of digestion becomes slower. Food accumulates in the stomach, while the abdominal muscles tend to stretch. Moreover, they are filled with fluids (blood). That is why some bodybuilders have protruding muscles in the abdominal region.
That is, one of the reasons for a big gut is slow digestive rate as a result of taking diuretics and carbohydrates during dehydration.
Bottom Line on HGH Gut Myth:
According to numerous forums and magazines, it seems that everyone has his own explanation of the reasons for the big gut. Some experts blame HGH and anabolic steroids, others – insulin or high-carbohydrate diet. Some of them even argue that your waist size largely depends on genetics.
Most people really believe that HGH stimulates the growth of the entire body, not just the muscles. Therefore, when you use large doses of HGH, your internal organs start to grow. But today there are no reliable facts confirming this theory. It is worth noting that low doses of somatropin do not lead to such an effect.
HGH and insulin can cause the growth of muscle mass – this is an indisputable fact. Moreover, other organs can become larger as well (including liver, stomach, spleen). This is the reason some bodybuilders may look like they are pregnant.
It is known that growth hormone is responsible for the growth and development of our body as a whole: it is responsible for the growth of bones, muscular skeleton, as well as other organs to some extent. However, we do not know about giant spleens or livers. That is, there is a good chance that hypertrophy of internal organs is only a myth, until the time when someone demonstrates a huge gallbladder (like a melon, for example).
Many bodybuilders in the 70-80s (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Bob Paris) started using anabolic androgenic steroids for the first time. Most of them used Dianabol, called the “breakfast of champions”. They were strenuously trying to achieve a V-shaped body (broad shoulders and narrow hips).
In the late 90s and early 2000s it was obvious that there was a huge problem in bodybuilding. There were professional bodybuilders with large protruding bellies. And this was far from great.
Today, lots of bodybuilders tend to reach unprecedented proportions. That is, building more muscle mass also means having large abdominal muscles. The most likely cause of big guts in bodybuilders is an abnormal growth in their abdominal muscles.
So, what should one do to prevent HGH Gut? All bodybuilders should prepare for competitions under the supervision of professionals (scientists and doctors) who understand certain chemical and all biological processes. In addition, the following additives are recommended for daily nutrition: zinc, magnesium and vitamin D. Zinc and magnesium are minerals that are actively involved in the production of testosterone. Make sure that your daily dose of zinc is 20-50 mg, and magnesium – 500-800 mg. And remember – quality bodybuilding products are safe for use only if you buy them from trusted manufacturers. Only in this case you will gain some impressive results without any harm to your health.
