Insulin like growth factor -1 or IGF-1 is a principal hormone produced by the liver cells in human body. It promotes growth, cell division and tissue repair. It has multiple roles in brain, musculoskeletal system and metabolism of glucose & in the development of cancer.
Optimize IGF-1 levels in your body for brain& musculoskeletal health
Insulin like growth factor-1 [ IGF-1]
IGF-1 is also known as somatomedin C and it is a 70aminoacid peptide hormone produced by the liver. Under the influence of growth hormone secreted by pituitary gland the liver cells produce IGF-1. The roles of IGF-1 in human body includes:
- Essential for the strength of muscles and bones
IGF-1 builds muscles and bones in human body. Therefore, its optimization is crucial for age related muscle loss prevention.
- IGF-1 is important for growth spurt during puberty
It helps cell division and growth spurt in puberty under the influence of growth hormone.
- IGF-1 regulates blood sugar level
It helps to reduce blood sugar spikes as it can bind to insulin receptors. IGF-1 has structural similarities with insulin.
- Protects nerves from stress related injury
IGF-1 has neuro protective functions. They help to protect nerves from stress injuries.
- IGF-1 is vital for functions of brain in ageing people
IGF-1 is crucial for brain health &cognitive functions. It helps to prevent age related cognitive decline and memory loss.
- IGF-1 helps long term memory
IGF-1 has very important role in long term memory functions as they help to form neuron formation in hippocampus.
- IGF-1 disintegrate fat and reduce obesity
Our body fats are stored in adipose tissues.IGF-1 helps fat lysis during fasting. Fat lysis is division of fat and it helps to reduce obesity associated health complications.
- IGF-1 boosts skin health &wound healing
IGF-1 has a vital role in the development of collagen on the skin and helps wound healing also. IGF-1 promotes cell proliferation and healing in the body in their optimum levels.
Optimum levels of insulin like growth factor 1 [IGF-1] in human body
Puberty – 200ng/ml
Adults – 120-267ng/ml
Old age [above 58 yrs] –48-212ng/ml
How to optimize or balance your insulin like growth factor?
You can optimize the levels of insulin like growth factor-1 in the body according to the requirement of age through healthy life style practices and diet. Avoid certain errors in your diet and adopt a few healthy lifestyle habits. This can simply turn the button towards better health optimizing IGF-1. It is not an arduous task. A few customized lifestyle modification protocols can help you in this journey.
At Mediprecision clinic we have been helping our patients to do that simply & easily. A few vital steps to be taken for balancing IGF-1 are shared here:
- Balancing your protein foods from various food sources
You can optimize your protein intake by keeping it at normal levels 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg / body weight for muscles, bones and tissue maintenance. People who work out well may require this amount. Similarly pregnant and lactating women may have excessive demand for proteins in the body. But those who are not likely to move much in their space and mostly lead a sedentary lifestyle may not need this optimum amount of proteins. They may need only 1g/ per kg/ body weight for a day.
Consuming more protein from animal sources may aggravate IGF-1 levels in the body and is associated with adverse health effects.
If IGF-1 is high on testing it is wise to shift to plant diet immediately for a while. It is always recommended to take a mix of plant and animal protein foods for good health.
You can include fish, meat, eggs in your everyday diet in the adequate amount along with tofu, legumes, lentils, nuts and seeds.
- Exercise regularly and consistently
Exercising triggers the secretion of growth hormone and it gives instructions to the liver to produce IGF-1 in adequate amounts.
Exercise can be done in different intensities and ways. Excessive intense training is not recommended. Strength training or resistance training for3or 4 days a week is good. It is important to ensure that when one step into resistance training, the amount of water intake is sufficient for your body demands. If you feel thirst or fatigue drink water sip by sip frequently. Also
Take a healthy balanced diet in adequate amounts. Healthy carbs [ whole grains] and proteins in the optimum levels are crucial for people doing resistance training.
- Good and sound sleep is vital for optimizing IGF-1 in your body
Sleep deprivation as well as poor quality interrupted sleep is associated with high levels of cortisol hormone in the body. Increased cortisol levels may reduce IGF-1 levels in the body.
To optimize IGF-1 levels in your body keep a regular sleep schedule. Train yourself how to ensure good deep sleep to foster health in general. Reduce exposure to blue lights from gadgets and devices 2 hours prior to sleep as it can disrupt the quality of sleep upsetting melatonin hormones. Practice sleep inducing breathing exercises of
yoga such as Bhramari pranayama. Do not overthink and keep yourself stress free before sleep hours.
- Improve insulin sensitivity
It is a comprehensive approach including reducing unhealthy carbs and added sugars, consuming healthy carbs moderately along with adequate amount of proteins, healthy fats and micro-nutrients [ vitamins,minerals ] rich foods.
Do physical exercise and promote frequent activity for your body by walking, moving. This may help to reduce visceral fats which is stored around body organs. This may help to improve insulin sensitivity which is crucial for optimizing IGF-1.
- Zinc, vitamin and magnesium are essential for IGF-1levels.
- Maintain liver healthy
Nowadays non-alcoholic fatty liver disease impacting a wide range of the population due to faulty erratic life styles. Keep your liver healthy by adopting “healthy living” as mentioned earlier in this section. Fat accumulation within liver cells may cause cell stress and impaired IGF-1 production in fatty liver disease. Therefore, do not compromise liver health.
Insulin like growth factor-1 excess as well as deficiency is associated with grave morbidity or life-threatening progressive diseases. Therefore, healthy lifestyle habits and diet can help you boost liver and metabolic health, optimizing IGF-1.
Switch over to healthy lifestyles today itself for a better productive healthy happy life.
Written by dr.sanjana.p