SARMs are called next-generation doping. Opinions about SARMs are very positive, but this group of non-steroidal active compounds has not yet been well studied! It is said that SARMs have almost no side effects, but when they are compared to strong anabolic and androgenic steroids, it is no wonder that they will be better compared to them.
SARMs are advertised as an ideal measure for both reduction and mass. No wonder that the search for this phrase on the Internet is three times greater than a few years ago. Reviews about SARMs are mostly positive, and their effects are widely praised.
Are you sure the media and the internet are telling us the whole truth about these androgen modulators? SARMs have still not been thoroughly tested, and most of the studies they have been subjected to are those performed on rats.
In the 1990s, Professor James T. D alton was looking for an effective treatment for prostate cancer. He discovered an interesting molecule - andarine. It did not work for the intended purpose, but it turned out that it effectively affects the efficiency and growth of muscle mass. Andarine found its way to some testosterone-sensitive cells and stimulated the growth of muscle tissue with fewer side effects.
D alton knew this discovery could be useful in the recovery process in diseases that cause muscle weakness and in the fight against many other conditions, such as breast cancer. So he made the first human study, administering ostarine to the subjects.
Studies have not confirmed his theses and did not show effectiveness in the fight against cancer, but SARMs turned out to be an effective anabolic agent. This is how SARMs got promotion to the world of sport …
Contents:
- SARM - what is it?
- SARM - action and dosage
- SARMs - side effects
- SARMs and anabolic steroids
SARM - what is it?
SARMs are a group of non-steroidal active compounds that bind to androgen receptors in tissues, in other words, they are selective androgen receptor modulators.
What is their operation? They effectively stimulate the growth of lean muscle mass and advantageously reduce the excessive amount of subcutaneous fat. The most popular and well-researched SARMsto:
- Ligandrol (LGD-4033)
- Ostarine (MK-2866).
SARMs can certainly be an alternative for bodybuilders and other athletes who have previously taken anabolic androgenic steroids that are dangerous to he alth. Research has shown that SARMs reportedly also help bone mineralization, but this is not fully confirmed.
SARMs are said to have far fewer side effects than heavier weight gain measures. They are supposed to be a next-generation additive.
Exactly - apparently, because these are only some assumptions, initial research and more widely unconfirmed theses. SARMs have not yet been well researched, and what is being said about them is mainly marketing gimmicks.
It turns out that SARMs cause the same side effects as anabolics and are not a miracle doping agent for building lean muscle mass!
SARM - action and dosage
The effects of all SARMs have not yet been well studied. If we are interested in opinions on the effects of SARMs, it is best to take a look at two of them: Ostarine and Ligandrol, because these two substances have been subjected to the most thorough research.
Ostarine
Ostarine, like most SARMs, effectively builds muscles and burns adipose tissue well. Interestingly, ostarine was the most used drug among twenty-five US professional athletes disqualified for doping use since 2015. What's more, in 2016, 39 athletes were caught taking SARMs, and in 2022 - as many as 66!
Athletes risk their careers to use this doping because the effectiveness of urine testing in this case is negligible compared to other doping drugs.
Ostarin is the most studied androgen modulator in human trials, and the research results are really interesting. What's more, no serious side effects of using this agent have been found with short and cyclical supply.
How to dose SARMs, in this case ostarine? Due to the relatively recent discovery of these drugs as doping, there are no official dosage guidelines yet. Some bodybuilders argue that you can take a steroid regimen and try ostarine in clinical trials.
Ligandrol
Another SARM that has been pretty well researched is ligandrol. In a study of this drug, he althy men were given ligandrol for 21 days. It turned out that 1 mg of this substance taken daily was enough to cause a significant increase in muscle mass - even by 1.21kg.
In a study on rats, LGD-4033 increased bone density, muscle mass and libido, all without harmful effects on the prostate gland and the liver. However, ligandrol, unlike ostarine, does not affect fat loss.
How should ligandrol be dosed? In this case, there are already specific reports that say 2-5 mg of a one-time daily dose over a 4-week period.
SARMs - side effects
These SARMs that have been well researched show no serious side effects. However, what do we mean when we hear "serious consequences"? Are acute sleep disorders, decreased testosterone secretion with SARMs and increased liver enzymes ALT and AST not worth our attention?
Among other things, these side effects are caused by SARMs. In bodybuilding and sports, there are talk of serious he alth consequences and less serious ones, but in normal life, when we see an undesirable effect on a drug leaflet and then experience it on our own skin, we immediately stop taking the drug and go to the doctor.
In terms of sports, the border of the so-called side effects has widened to dangerous proportions, and after all, practicing sports should only bring people he alth, better well-being and improve the functioning of the body, not its degeneration to any degree.
SARMs have the following side effects:
- headaches
- insomnia
- mood disorders
- increase in liver enzymes ALT and AST
- increased risk of heart attack and stroke
- lowering natural testosterone production
- less common: they damage the liver, affect the growth of the prostate, cause gynecomastia and breast cancer.
Studies on SARMs have shown that the above effects do not occur for everyone, but everyone who uses these drugs will not miss sleep problems, a drop in testosterone and mood disorders, because SARMs, like most of these substances strongly affect our he alth and hormonal profile.
SARMs are on the World Anti-Doping Agency list of banned substances. They are readily available to amateur athletes, but it must be remembered that most of these substances have not yet been well researched.
SARMs have also not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It must be remembered that SARMs are still in the early stages of research, and research on rats tells us really little about the effects of these agents on the human body. Let's not forget that we do not know the long-term side effects of SARMs because of such studieshave not been carried out yet.
As androgen modulators would not be better and safer than steroids, mixing in hormones and using such strong chemicals will always - sooner or later - affect our he alth and will carry a high risk.
SARM discoverer D alton, looking at what is happening now in the world of sports, became a member of the scientific council of the Partnership for Clean Competition, which detects SARMs in athletes and studies these compounds.
In one of the interviews with regret, he stated that he was focusing on ensuring that his discoveries were not used in such an inappropriate way, and that people would stop taking substances that we still know almost nothing about. He warns against the fact that, although this remedy does not show any undesirable effects immediately, it may be harmful and cause irreversible side effects in prolonged use. Researchers have already noted several dozen such cases - Conclusion? It's not worth the risk!
SARMs and anabolic steroids
Anabolic and androgenic steroids stimulate the growth of all tissues at the same time. This leads to a number of complications, such as prostate growth and liver hypertrophy. It turns out that SARMs act on muscles selectively and only on skeletal muscles.
This is confirmed in their chemical profile. SARMs are not steroidal and do not convert into active metabolites. Therefore, they do not convert to aromatase action and conversion to estradiol. Further, their form is not affected by 5-alpha-reductase and transformed into dihydrotestosterone.
Steroids differ from SARMs also in the strength and speed of the appearance of unwanted side effects. Steroids convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. This causes hair loss and severe acne. Steroids also cause serious cancer and tumors, and these are just a few of the harmful effects of these compounds.
As for SARMs, there is no certainty that these substances will not cause such symptoms - they do not have to appear immediately after use, but they may manifest themselves in later years.
SARMs also have an advantage over steroids in the form of administration. SARMs are completely legal, readily available, and are administered orally, not injected as an injection, as is the case with anabolic and androgenic steroids.
Don't be fooled!There are many products known as SARMs on the Internet, but do we really know what we are buying? Scientists from the USA tested popular products available in online stores. Here is what they proved:
- 48% had no SARMs
- 39% had acomposed of illegal substances
- 9% did not contain any active compounds
- 59% contained active substances, but in doses different than those on the label.