There's been a lot of people asking me about SARMs recently, not to mention an increasing amount of people taking them. A new compound on the market which has proven results of muscle mass increase, fat loss and even increasing bone density mass. SO, if these are the proven benefits in an industry where everyone is trying to get an edge, why isn't everybody taking them?
What are SARMs?
SARMS (standing for Selective Androgen Receptive Modulators) is a new compound (typically taken orally but can be injected) getting a lot of praise in the fitness industry. It is currently not illegal, but it is banned in professional sports (USADA, 2023) because of it's effectiveness for it's ability to build muscle mass and accelerate the rate of fat loss.
They do this by activating specific Androgen Receptors, so that pre-existing androgens (testosterone and androstenedione) can aid in additional anabolic / hypertrophic activity.
So what the fook does this mean in simple terms?
It means you are not synthetically adding hormones, but you are waking up / targeting pre existing receptors (which in doing so has an effect on your hormones), once these wake up they can bind to more testosterone, with testosterone being one of the main contributors to building muscle.
So the more testosterone that is freely available to binding = more protein synthesis = more gains. You could think of it as the Androgen receptor being the door for Androgens, with SARMs smashing the door down.
(Potentially the only GIF you'll ever see in your lifetime where SARMs are personified so enjoy)
What is the difference between SARMs and Anabolic Steroids?
SARMs (as stated prior) is the awakening of receptors so more testosterone can bind. Anabolic Steroids on the other hand is synthetically increasing the amount of testosterone that you have and this binds with the androgen receptors but it happens in cells / tissue all over the body (for example in your muscles, liver and even in the prostate).
SARMs are selective, so they do not bind to cells all over the body, predominantly just to muscle cells and bone cells (whichever cell the specific SARM is designed to target).
With this being said, it makes sense why Anabolic Steroids are potentially hazardous for the prostate and why SARMs are (in some cases) not. Some SARMs such as "S-4 Andarine" have actually been known to decrease prostate size by suppressing the 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, potentially why a lot of people are saying that SARMs are safer than Anabolic Steroids.
(results of S-4 Andarine on Prostate, weirdly a slightly lower dose of 3mg had better effectiveness on decreasing prostate than 10mg per kg)
Why do SARMs even exist?
SARMS were originally created to cure diseases, some aiding with Osteoporosis for example (in which the bones become weak and eventually break easily / cause pain, so the SARM targets the cells, proactively strengthening the bone) and they've been designed to help people with enlarged prostates (the SARM in this scenario decreases the size of the prostate), others being clinically trialled for hormone replacement therapy and to prevent muscle atrophy (the process of losing muscle).
Due to the fact SARMs are selective, they are all created with the intent to solve different issues so work in different ways, which is why it is crucial you actually research the individual types before deciding to just randomly implement one.
Surely then, if SARMs are designed in lab, used in professional practices (noted: investigational, meaning they are being tested in trial and cannot yet be prescribed by doctors) and have proven muscle increase then you'd be an idiot to not use them?
You're probably reading this thinking bloody hell, where do I order these SARMs? Hold your horses m8, we haven't yet got into the nitty gritty side of SARMs (building you up just to drop you back down like an ego lifter in the free weight section).
(me)
Side Effects of SARMs:
Hair Loss
Elevated Estragon (leading to things such as acne and gynecomastia)
Liver Toxicity
Increase Risk of Heart Attack / Stroke
Nausea
Insomnia
Testosterone Suppression
Lack of Libido
Headaches
Mood Swings
Secondly, SARMs are very VERY new to market, which means for a lot of these compounds, we really do not yet know their potential side effects, so if you are debating taking them it would be wise to stay away from any new ones with a lack of publications examining them.
Most of these potential side effects exist due to the fact you are influencing changes with your hormone levels, which is why a PCT (post cycle therapy) is still necessary for the vast majority of SARMs. Liver Toxicity happens due to the fact the SARM still passes through this organ. The increase risk of heart attack / stroke is due to the fact the SARMs will elevate your LDL (low density lipoproteins) = more cholesterol in your blood stream brother. Not that I'm advising SARMs BUT if you are taking them, you should really bare this point in mind. You need to watch your diet, avoiding any trans fats or saturated fats and do your best to increase foods containing high density lipoproteins (unsaturated fats).
Happy to explain the potential side effects in more detail if you drop us a message.
Conclusion
I would like to point out that I've never personally done SARMs, I've actually only just extensively investigated them now in order to provide this naughty blog post. In my humble opinion, upon research, I do think that the future for SARM's seems quite promising...
For example, people go crazy about creatine because it's a "natural supplement" that works and barely has any side effects, despite it potentially leading to liver dysfunction. I am not going to even entertain SARMs as being in the same category as creatine because the side effects of SARMs are far more detrimental (and they are only the side effects that we currently know about), but if it has proven effectiveness AND if you ingested them properly (using something to counteract liver toxicity) with a correct PCT protocol and sensible cycle periods it MAY not actually be that detrimental, severely dependant on what SARM you are using.
I'd say the main potential side effect would be hormone related, especially when implementing the stronger SARMs such as Rad140. When taking SARMs, you are still artificially elevating your usual amount of androgens, which means when you cycle off (typically 8-10week cycle), your natural production of testosterone is going to dip, causing an irregular ratio of estragon : testosterone, ultimately leading to things such as Gynecomastia, lack of libido and mood swings (yes pal ya life is done).
This makes it especially dangerous for any teenager to use SARMs when they're already going through hormonal changes.
I do believe that some SARMs such as Ostarine are pretty safe as possible side effects are minimal and not life threatening (acne, headaches, sleep issues), this is one of the few SARMs that has been around for a long period of time and was originally created for cancer patients who were essentially wasting away so it actually has extensive research surrounding it. Additionally, Ostarine does not affect hormone levels to an extent that some of the other SARMs do, meaning with standard doses a PCT is not even necessary. However, this could quite clearly be the gateway for more potent drugs so you have to ask yourself is it worth falling down a rabbit hole with potential life long consequences?
Consequently, it is interesting to see where SARMs will go, do you believe that in 5-10 years a load of evidence is going to display their true colours, or do you think because they are designed to treat diseases with their cell specific targeting that they are in fact safe to use when implementing a well thought out protocol? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Adios Amigos.
