DNP
A warning

There appears to be a rustling in the Bodybuilding hedgerows with whispers of something that I thought had been kicked into touch more than a decade ago. However the need for the unscrupulous to make money and the need for the uninformed and /or desperate to resort to the quick fix once again appears to winning out.

Say it quietly but DNP seems to be making a return.

DNP - Dinitro Phenol - C6 H4 N2 O5. Whichever way you write it doesn’t seem too bad, however lets dig a little deeper.

I first became aware of this substance somewhere around the mid to late 1990’s when the late Paul Borresen was in correspondence with the late (anyone noticing a theme here)? Dan Duchaine. These two “Guru’s” were coming up with a strategy to produce the first 400lb Bodybuilder, the foundation stones of which were the use of DNP and Insulin.

This is not meant to throw stones at the memory of Paul Borresen. Despite a plethora of “interesting” personality traits I considered Paul a good friend but very few people would deny that he could be so far out on the cutting edge it was scary. He also had an almost Dr. Jekyll type need to experiment on himself with any ideas that may have pushed the Bodybuilding envelope.

My understanding of the history of DNP is that it was being used in munitions factories as a detonator for TNT on or around the early 1900’s when some of the employees found they were suffering from unexplained weight loss. After investigation the search was narrowed down to the handling of DNP and experiments on some unfortunate dogs was carried out. After a good many Rovers (or more accurately the US equivalent) had been stripped to the bone in the interests of science (and you thought those smoking Beagles were bad news) the whole thing seemed to get forgotten and the research gathered dust on some laboratory shelf.

However, if we fast forward to the 1930’s the idea was resurrected, once again initially in the United States, but this time on obese human subjects. It is estimated that some 100,000 people were prescribed DNP as a fat loss agent. Indeed it was one of the first drugs ever used for weight reduction being distributed under such trade names such as Dinitriso, Nitromet and Dinitrenal. It must to be borne in mind that these were the days when very little regulation of foods, supplements or “miracle cures” were in place. Even so, by 1938 or thereabouts complaints about the side effects were pouring in (temporary blindness being a common one) it once again disappeared and was filed in the “too damn risky” draw.

Our subject of discussion went on it’s merry way being used as a detonator, pesticide, fungicide, photographic developer, wood preservative and industrial dye amongst other things, oh yeah, almost forgot it also got designated a “industrial toxic waste”!!

To the very best of my knowledge DNP is not being legitimately sold anywhere in the world for human use but as you can see is readily available as an industrial chemical.

Pressing that fast forward button again we find ourselves pretty much up to date in the time line which is where Dan Duchaine comes into focus. One of the true front line soldiers of chemical Bodybuilding Mr Duchaine still divides opinion strongly some years after his death. I believe, although stories do vary, that Dan first picked up on the idea of DNP during a spell at the pleasure of the US authorities. Ideas started to spread and whoosh!! Away we go into Bodybuilding dream land where fat was no longer the enemy but simply an inconvenience that was ours to play with.

So, what the hell is it?

Most text books will describe DNP as a Cellular Metabolic poison or Cellular Metabolic uncoupler, it interferes with the Krebbs cycle of Oxidative Phosphorylation, preventing the formation of ATP but turning the energy released into heat thereby increasing the metabolic rate and burning fat at an alarming rate.

If that’s starting to get a bit heavy let me explain that we have 3 energy systems within our bodies which power all human movement, these being the Phosphagen system, the Glycolysis system and the Oxidative system. All 3 of these systems work in different ways to produce the molecule Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). The splitting of this molecule by enzyme action allows the released chemical energy to be used as mechanical energy in the contraction of muscle cells. The body will use Creatine, Carbohydrates, Fats and Protein, in some cases in the presence of oxygen, sometimes without, in the formation of ATP. The length of exercise and more particularly the intensity will govern which energy system takes priority. No one system works in isolation but a definite “pecking order” exists dependent of the type of activity being carried out. For example a one rep maximum Deadlift will call upon primarily the Phosphagen system, an 800 metre race will be primarily the Glycolysis system and the Oxidative system will be primarily in use for a 26 mile marathon or while you are sitting relaxed reading this article.

Our friend DNP manages to cross and destroy cell membranes and interferes with the ATP production in part of the Oxidative system known as the Krebbs Cycle, but the energy released, having to go somewhere gets transformed into heat.
If you really want to know the actual science detail behind these reactions please let me know and I’ll see what I can dig out.

We therefore have a large increase in bodily heat, metabolism goes into overdrive and we start to burn quite scary amounts of fat. This was the basic premise behind Paul Borresens ideas. The use of insulin as a shuttle molecule forces aminos, glucose etc into the cells without having to worry about the build up of body fat that often accompanies insulin use.

The problems start to appear when the heat increase reaches first of all uncomfortable then dangerous levels. If you think that the possibility of being gently broiled from the inside is a crazy exaggeration I’m afraid it aint. Having to continually take your temperature, sleep with fans around your head and sticking your nut under the cold tap on regular intervals might seem like a bit of an inconvience but believe me it’s signs that things are not well.

Added to this the possibility of temporary blindness, cataracts, interference with the calcium production in muscle contraction, development of Cancers due to the release of free radicals on the splitting of cell membranes, muscle (in particular hand) tremors, increased respiratory rate, increased heart rate and thickening of the blood.

Just to take the last 2 of those, forgetting for a second that you may be running dangerously hot, your blood has started to thicken, you may also be using some form of testosterone and possibly Growth Hormone which will both have the same effect, and your heart is working faster than normal!! I’m not sure if my money would be on a Heart attack or a Stroke as the most likely, whichever way you are one sick Bodybuilder.

If you cant get into shape using the tried and tested tools of the trade then give us at Physical Frontiers a ring. Please do not use DNP.

Let me put this as straightforwardly as possible:

THIS SHIT WILL F**K YOU UP

Paul Ehren can be contacted on tel: 07768 563 688