Serious HGH to IGF-1 conversion on Carnivore/OMAD + Reta? (Bloods included) (1 Viewer)

[unauthorized]

Hey everyone. Need help understanding my HGH to IGF-1 conversion. I want to maximize this, not just guess.

Context:

• Age: 17
• Diet: Strict Carnivore\KETO (zero to few carbs) with OMAD (One Meal A Day)
• Training: Currently none (only walking). I have muscle mass from 2 years of lifting but stopped to minimize cortisol during cut.
• HGH Protocol: 5 IU pharma grade, single bolus, first thing in the morning, fasted (not split doses). I know it's real because serum GH went from 0.15 ng/mL (baseline) to 19.80 ng/mL after 6 IU.
• Planned Addition: Retatrutide (for insulin sensitivity and appetite control).

Blood Work (KDL Labs - reputable):

• IGF-1: 764 ng/mL
• TSH: 2.72 µIU/mL
• fT4: 8.81 pmol/L
• Testosterone: 37.65 nmol/L (~1085 ng/dL) - This was on maintenance calories (Carnivore), not deficit.

My Main Question (Focus on IGF-1 conversion):

Is 764 ng/mL on 5 IU (single bolus) good conversion, or should it be higher given my age (peak IGF-1 years)?

I'm concerned that my Carnivore/OMAD protocol might be limiting hepatic IGF-1 output because:

• No insulin spikes throughout the day (low insulin = less signaling for IGF-1 synthesis?)
• One meal means limited nutrient substrate timing around HGH pulse
• Caloric deficit (currently cutting) could be suppressing conversion

Specific Questions:

1. Conversion Rate: For a 17-year-old on 5 IU (single dose), is 764 ng/mL optimal, suboptimal, or average? What would be the "target" IGF-1 for this dose at my age?
2. Diet Impact: Is Carnivore/OMAD actively hurting my conversion? Would adding carbs around my one meal or switching to split doses (2.5 IU AM/PM) significantly increase IGF-1?
3. Retatrutide Effect: Since Reta improves insulin sensitivity, will this increase IGF-1 conversion (better signaling) or could it lower it (reduced nutrient absorption/delayed gastric emptying)?
4. No Training Factor: Without mechanical stimulus, is the IGF-1 even being utilized? Does this affect feedback loops or conversion efficiency?
5. Thyroid Connection: TSH 2.72 - slightly above ideal. Could this be limiting conversion? Should I address this before adding Reta?

Thanks.

 

[sensitive sapphire]

"carnivore"

 

[bob08674]

DNR

 

[sensitive sapphire]

"carnivore"

also give me the solution

 

[Hyporoxin]

Diet: Strict Carnivore\KETO (zero to few carbs) with OMAD (One Meal A Day)

 

[Eryczek]

Hey everyone. Need help understanding my HGH to IGF-1 conversion. I want to maximize this, not just guess.

Context:

• Age: 17
• Diet: Strict Carnivore\KETO (zero to few carbs) with OMAD (One Meal A Day)
• Training: Currently none (only walking). I have muscle mass from 2 years of lifting but stopped to minimize cortisol during cut.
• HGH Protocol: 5 IU pharma grade, single bolus, first thing in the morning, fasted (not split doses). I know it's real because serum GH went from 0.15 ng/mL (baseline) to 19.80 ng/mL after 6 IU.
• Planned Addition: Retatrutide (for insulin sensitivity and appetite control).

Blood Work (KDL Labs - reputable):

• IGF-1: 764 ng/mL
• TSH: 2.72 µIU/mL
• fT4: 8.81 pmol/L
• Testosterone: 37.65 nmol/L (~1085 ng/dL) - This was on maintenance calories (Carnivore), not deficit.

My Main Question (Focus on IGF-1 conversion):

Is 764 ng/mL on 5 IU (single bolus) good conversion, or should it be higher given my age (peak IGF-1 years)?

I'm concerned that my Carnivore/OMAD protocol might be limiting hepatic IGF-1 output because:

• No insulin spikes throughout the day (low insulin = less signaling for IGF-1 synthesis?)
• One meal means limited nutrient substrate timing around HGH pulse
• Caloric deficit (currently cutting) could be suppressing conversion

Specific Questions:

1. Conversion Rate: For a 17-year-old on 5 IU (single dose), is 764 ng/mL optimal, suboptimal, or average? What would be the "target" IGF-1 for this dose at my age?
2. Diet Impact: Is Carnivore/OMAD actively hurting my conversion? Would adding carbs around my one meal or switching to split doses (2.5 IU AM/PM) significantly increase IGF-1?
3. Retatrutide Effect: Since Reta improves insulin sensitivity, will this increase IGF-1 conversion (better signaling) or could it lower it (reduced nutrient absorption/delayed gastric emptying)?
4. No Training Factor: Without mechanical stimulus, is the IGF-1 even being utilized? Does this affect feedback loops or conversion efficiency?
5. Thyroid Connection: TSH 2.72 - slightly above ideal. Could this be limiting conversion? Should I address this before adding Reta?

Thanks.

IGF-1 reflects GH + metabolic state. In young ages IGF-1 is already near peak so additional GH does not raise it. Energy deficit, low insulin, and fasting can produce relative GH resistance meaning IGF-1 may be lower than expected despite high GH exposure so there isnt a fixed “target IGF-1 for a given GH dose,” especially during puberty where horomones are altering constantly

Systemic IGF-1 production is mostly hepatic, but tissue utilixation depends on mechanical loading so without training it basically means less local IGF-1/MGF signaling and reduced anabolic use of IGF-1

from what i can tell u IGF-1 output is not determined by GH exposure alone but low insulin ,caloric deficit, thyroid status, and mechanical loading can all create a state where GH is high but iGF-1 is not maximally expressed

im not an expert on your "carnivore diet" slop though so youre on ur own there lol