Increase Androgen Receptor Density to Build Muscle

ARs are the cellular “ignition switches” that, when turned on by androgens (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and other hormones), initiate the process that leads to the production of proteins – the physical building blocks of tissues, and in this case, muscle.

Surprisingly, the authors of this new paper found that the density of these ARs was the most important determinant in putting on muscle and that actual levels of anabolic hormones don’t play nearly as important a role.

Morton and his colleagues examined circulating hormones, intramuscular hormones, and intramuscular hormone-related variables in previously trained men before and after 12 weeks of resistance training.

That means they evaluated levels of anabolic hormones like testosterone, free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), free insulin-like growth factor-1, along with changes in resistance-training induced increases in muscle mass.

Based on the results, the men were classified as either high responders (HIR) or low responders (LOR). The number of androgen receptors didn’t change during the training, but was higher at all times in the high responder group.

In fact, there was a linear relationship between androgen receptor content and change in lean body mass (muscle). The researchers concluded the following:

“These results indicate that intramuscular androgen receptor content, but neither circulating nor intramuscular hormones (or the enzymes regulating their intramuscular production) influenced skeletal muscle hypertrophy following RET (resistance training) in previously trained men.”

The findings of Morton’s team appear to explain how hardgainers and champion bodybuilders can exist simultaneously on the same planet. Hardgainers, despite training exactly like their more successful counterparts, may simply be short on androgen receptors while behemothic lifters have a rich bounty of them.

In fact, the true advantage possessed by pro bodybuilders may be that they’re genetically gifted steroid receivers. Because they have more receptors, they probably can grow much, much, bigger than you could, even if you took an equally large boatload of steroids.

This doesn’t mean having high anabolic hormone levels in general won’t help you, but the hormones can only go as far as the receptor content of your muscles will allow them. After all, if there are only a limited number of “ignition switches,” only so much protein transcription can occur.

There are, however, theoretical and proven ways to increase the density of the receptors you have, or at least the sensitivity of those receptors.

Weight training itself increases both the number and sensitivity of androgen receptors, but I’ll assume you’re already doing the best you can through that route. Electrical shock does the job, too, but no one’s tried that on anything but rats, and besides, it seems a tad impractical.

Intermittent fasting works well, having been shown to almost double androgen sensitivity. Likewise, studies have shown that dietary whey (and possibly casein), along with supplements like forskolin, tribulus terrestris and caffeine work well, too.

You could combine all of these dietary interventions together in the following way:

1. Have a cup or two of coffee upon awakening with 1-2 capsules of Alpha Male® (contains both forksolin and tribulus terrestris).
2. Then, 6 to 8 hours later, have another 1-2 capsules of Alpha Male® with 8 ounces of water, again on an empty stomach.
3. Have 1 to 2 daily servings of whey or a whey and casein protein blend as convenient.