Muscle catabolism occurs when there are more negative than positive agents working in the body. Muscles are always either growing or shrinking - there is no holding pattern. Stress and poor diet/training/sleep patterns can lead to muscle catabolism, and it results in the bodybuilder-feeling run-down, losing muscle, and gaining fat. How can one escape this catabolic state? Here are a few tips in each of the four major areas (nutrition, supplementation, sleep, and training) for leaving the catabolic state, and entering the anabolic state.
Nutrition
This is the most important aspect of recovery, and therefore leaving the catabolic state. Eat. Eat more. Eat more red meat. Include more simple carbs after training - Very important, as it decreases post-training cortisol production. Eat Oysters. Eat 8 times per day. Eat once during the night. A glass of milk or small whey shake is plenty. Consume fast digesting nutrients like Whey protein. Egg whites are a good substitute for fast absorption. Eat fast digesting nutrients first thing in the morning as well - as your body has just been deprived of nutrients for 5 to 10 hours.
Supplementation
Vitamin C - 1000 mg per day. Zinc - 30 mg per day. Consider glutamine if your budget affords it, although experts argue its effectiveness. Get healthy fats from fish oil. Remember - supplements are only meant to assist your diet, so don't focus upon supplements until you have your nutritional affairs in order first.
Sleep
Give yourself eight hours of uninterrupted "lay down" time. Even if your body only needs 6 or 7 hours of actual sleep, the extra time for relaxation will be extremely beneficial. Additionally, reserving an hour for reading/nap during the day is a great way to allow your central nervous system to recuperate, halting cortisol production and allowing muscle growth to occur.
Training
Train Smart. Employ heavy, intense training sessions and keep them under 60 minutes. Use forced reps, training to failure, and negatives to force your muscles to adapt to an increasing workload. Always use a spotter when engaging in heavier training regimens.
Essentially, one enters a catabolic state when not enough of one of the vital resources - nutrition, supplements, sleep, or training - is available. Improve the quality of these four areas and watch your body return to growth!

Take that Vitamin C right when you wake up.

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OWNER: BodyBuildingXtreme.com

That was a good read. Thanks Stumpy.

Glutamine seems essential to me, it isn't very expensive now either.

Didn't think about Vitamin C on awakening- that makes good sense.

We all should be drinking enough water to wake once in the night. Drink a micellar casein shake then, it will take approximately 7 hours to trickle into your system. 2 tablespoons of dried eggwhites add a more quickly assimilated protien to the mix.

No protein equals catabolic equals no or minimal gains. Don't let your hard work suffer that way!

i'm not trying too correct u but all they studing that i did in school says that at my height I should be using 4000mg of rosehips vitamin C that will lower cortisol level and help with soft tissue repair

Or you could eat sugar at times when you would be catabolic. Insulin is anti-catabolic.