Physiological Meliorism

**User(s)** | Various

**Physiological Meliorism** (生理的な改善説, *Seiri-tekina Kaizen-setsu*) is a unique ability that a user can obtain through advanced training in Ki manipulation. This ability gives the user enhanced physical stats, by altering specific physiological function to obtain the desired result.

## Description

Through the use of this magic a user is able to alter the efficiency of particular cells to allow for greater efficiency of a certain physiological process. Particularly used on the endocrine system, nervous system, muscular system, and skeletal system; this ability is able to effect all anatomical systems to improve a users performance. This is done through the manipulation of their Ki, allowing their magic to act as a catalyst or substitute substrate in various reactions in the body. This can greatly increase the output and efficiency of cell, as the body is able to use a form that can be replenished slowly through the means of ambient absorption; which is far less finite than the traditional metabolism and production.

This ability is limited as far as how long a user can stay in this peak physical condition. By using their Ki as a catalyst, the byproduct of cellular processes is a great deal of heat. Based on how many spells are cast at once, the body is unable to dissipate the large quantities of heat, and as such the body will reach a temperature that will begin to denature the enzymatic proteins used in those biological pathways. This acts as somewhat of an "automatic shut off" for the body, as the enzymes will become unable to continue their production at this heightened state until the body returns to a normal temperature. The time limit for an average user casting one spells is around 5 hours. The greater number of spells cast will substantially decrease the time a caster is able to see these effects. Two spells will cut time down to 4 hours, 3 spells for 2.5 hours, and 4 spells for 1 hour. To current date, no user has been able to cast 5 spells at once, as their body temperature rose too drastically that the proteins were denatured too rapidly for any effects to be seen by physiological meliorism.

## Spells

### Strength

* **Aldo Mena: Vigilant**- Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands; especially in conditions of stress, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing, and carbohydrate metabolism and preparing muscles for exertion. So once the user is able to get control of the glands that secrete adrenaline the user may experience effects such as increased blood pressure allowing the user to react faster and become faster in general. As vasoconstriction occurs, the user may feel a bit stiffer afterwards using this.
* **Aldo Mena: Unleashed**- The manipulation of norepinephrine can be used to treat oneself and give the user on final push if the user is extremely wounded or fatigued. Once the user seems like he/she is about to faint or lose a fight due to fatigue the norepinephrine can kick in to increase blood pressure. As norepinephrine is referred to as a "stress" hormone, using an excess amount can lead to organs being worn down faster than usual.
* **Aldo Mena: Propogate**- Using Ki as a substitute, a user is able to disperse Ki through the epimysium of the skeletal muscles and cause massive depolarization of the muscle fibers which causes the body to utilize all myofibrils during contractions. This can give a user an extra 20% increase in brute force, but this comes with a cost. Because a user is overriding the bodies natural defense mechanism of not utilizing all muscle fibers, prolonged use of this spell can result in extreme tearing of the muscles and related torque injuries.
* **Aldo Mena: Nutriment**- but utilizing substrate substitution or Ki catalysis on the adrenal gland, a user is able to increase their levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone. One this spell is in effect, the body will begin gluconeogenesis, allowing the body to have an increased supply of "fuel". Although this can increase the output of muscles, but giving it the copious amounts of energy it needs, it is one of the more risky spells to use; as prolonged use can increase water loss, increase protein and bone degradation, and decrease immune and healing functions. So this spell is best used for a quick boost in power on a final hit.

### Longevity

* **Aldo Mena: Inspiration-** By increasing production of erythropoietin in the kidneys and liver, the body is signaled to begin erythropoiesis, or the creation of red blood cells. With physiological meliorism a user is able to increase their erythropoietin levels to hypoxic condition, which is about 10,000 mU of the hormone per milliliter of blood. This increase red blood cell production by almost 1000 fold, giving the user a greater capacity for gas exchange, allowing their muscles to perform aerobic respiration and prevent the build up of lactic acid, which causes soreness.
* **Aldo Mena: Vitality**-  Activating this spell will increase metabolic rate, protein synthesis, bone growth and repair, and increase the body's sensitivity to hormones like adrenaline. The manipulation of these hormones, via substrate substitution or Ki catalysis, will increase protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism of the user's body and improve how cells use energetic compounds.
* **Aldo Mena: Vigor**- Manipulating the hormone produced by adipose tissue, a user is able to increase the concentration of Leptin going to the hypothalamus. Using this spell helps slow down appetite, speeds up lipolysis, and maintain energy homeostasis allowing a user to fight without fatigue for a greater period of time, while still maintaining substantial enough energy to fight at peak performance.

### Recovery

* **Aldo Mena: Overhaul**- Concentrating their Ki on the anterior pituarity gland, a user can stimulate release of Growth Hormone (GH) to stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration. This allows a user to recover from injuries and minor wounds within a matter of seconds. The effects of this spell is only highly effective on superficial wounds, yet it can help with deep wounds by increasing the healing process exponentially related to the amount of Ki output.
* **Aldo Mena: Alleviate**- This is a two fold modification that helps with releasing greater concentrations of enkephalin, a pain suppressant. This is one of the more difficult spells to master if the user wishes to grant instant pain relief. This can be done as a localized spell, or a generalized spell. The user will modify their Ki to act as a substitute preproenkephalin, a signal peptide that will cause the cells to release proenkephalin. If wishing to use this a precaution, a user can stop this spell in the first stage and allow their body to naturally create enkephalin through the post-translational modification of proenkephalin. If wanting to grant instant pain relief, the user may enter the second stage and use their magic to catalyze the proteases used to cleave peptide bonds on proenkephalin and greatly reduce the time for the opioid peptide to take effect.

## Trivia

* The name of this ability comes from the idea in metaphysical thinking, called Meliorism. "It holds that humans can, through their interference with processes that would otherwise be natural, produce an outcome which is an improvement over the aforementioned natural one." Which when coupled with the physiological side of the idea, is an ideal name for this ability.
* The prefix for spell names is a play on words. "Aldo", is a shortened version of aldosterone, referencing a male and the hormones associated with strength. It is balanced by "Mena", which is a prefix meaning "drive or threaten", but can also allude to menopause, a female related hormonal change that strikes fear into those who are around it.