I’m researching natural ways to boost IGF-1 levels for muscle growth, recovery, and anti-aging benefits. I keep seeing supplements like bovine colostrum, deer antler velvet extract, and some amino acid combinations (arginine, ornithine, glutamine) mentioned as IGF-1 boosters.
Some people swear by colostrum for recovery and gut health with IGF-1 as a bonus, while others say deer antler velvet is overpriced snake oil with no real results. I’ve also seen mentions of MK-677 (ibutamoren) which supposedly mimics growth hormone and increases IGF-1, but I’m looking for legal, natural options first. For context, I’m mainly interested in improved workout recovery, better sleep quality, and potential anti-aging benefits rather than bodybuilding-level mass gains.
Has anyone here actually used any IGF-1 boosting supplements and gotten bloodwork done to confirm it works? Which ones gave you noticeable results - colostrum, deer antler velvet, specific amino acid stacks, or something else?
I was thinking that anything that boosts mTOR is also going to likely boost IGF-1 - for example Leucine, but wanted to double check. And compare it to other supplements.
Comparative Ranking: Supplements for IGF-1 Enhancement
The following ranking evaluates supplements based on clinical evidence for percentage (%) increase in IGF-1.
Crucial Distinction: You must distinguish between Serum IGF-1 (circulating in the blood, systemic effects) and Intramuscular IGF-1 (local tissue expression, muscle hypertrophy). Most legal supplements only impact the latter.
Rank
Supplement
Impact on IGF-1
Evidence Strength
Clinical Findings
1
Creatine Monohydrate
+30% to +78%(Intramuscular)
High
Creatine is the most effective non-hormonal supplement for upregulating local IGF-1. • Mechanism: Increases IGF-1 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle. • Data: A study in International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found resistance training + Creatine increased muscle IGF-1 by 78%, compared to 54% for training alone [1]. Another study showed a 30% increase in resting IGF-1 mRNA levels after 5 days of loading [2].
2
L-Leucine
Significant(Intramuscular Only)
Moderate
Leucine stimulates local muscle remodeling but does not spike systemic hormones. • Data: Clinical trials confirm Leucine ingestion post-exercise significantly increases skeletal muscle IGF-1 concentration compared to placebo, but Serum IGF-1 remains unchanged (0% increase) [3].
3
Bovine Colostrum
Negligible / 0%(Serum)
Mixed to Low
Despite containing high levels of IGF-1, oral consumption does not reliably raise systemic human IGF-1. • Reason: IGF-1 is a peptide; it is largely digested and destroyed in the gut before absorption. • Data: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) show that standard doses (20–60g/day) result in no statistically significant increase in circulating IGF-1 in healthy adults [4].
4
Zinc & Magnesium
Variable(Restorative)
Conditional
Only effective if the subject is deficient. • Data: Zinc deficiency significantly lowers IGF-1. Supplementation restores levels to baseline but does not “boost” them supra-physiologically in replete individuals.
5
Deer Antler Velvet
0%
Very Low
Often marketed for IGF-1 content, but evidence supports zero bioavailability or efficacy for increasing human serum IGF-1.
Summary of Mechanisms
Creatine: Works by increasing cellular hydration and mechanical strain signaling, which triggers the muscle to produce more of its own IGF-1 (autocrine/paracrine action).
Leucine: Bypasses the need for systemic IGF-1 by directly activating mTOR (Mammalian Target of Rapamycin), the downstream target that IGF-1 usually signals to. It “cuts out the middleman” to trigger protein synthesis.
Colostrum/Peptides: Oral ingestion of IGF-1 (a protein structure) results in breakdown by stomach acid and pepsin. It does not survive intact to enter the bloodstream.
References
[1] Burke, D. G., et al. (2008). “Effect of creatine supplementation and resistance-exercise training on muscle insulin-like growth factor in young adults.” Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. [2] Deldicque, L., et al. (2005). “Increased IGF mRNA in human skeletal muscle after creatine supplementation.” Med Sci Sports Exerc. [3] Church, D. D., et al. (2016). “L-Leucine Increases Skeletal Muscle IGF-1 but Does Not Differentially Increase Akt/mTORC1 Signaling and Serum IGF-1.” J Am Coll Nutr . [4] Davison, G. (2020). “Oral bovine colostrum supplementation does not increase circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 concentration in healthy adults.” Eur J Nutr.