“SARMs” fall under a category of muscle-building agents. But before you even think about giving these a try, make sure you’ve got all the facts down. Knowledge is your most powerful tool here, bro.
What are SARMs?
We got these things called SARMs, right? That stands for “Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators”. Now, don’t let that scientific jargon intimidate you. Basically, these are man-made compounds, and what they’re trying to do is mimic the good stuff that testosterone does in your body.
Now, hold up. Important to note that these SARMs, they’re still wearing their lab coats, so to speak. They’re under hardcore scrutiny and research for various medical applications but haven’t been given the green light yet for any other purpose. But you know how it is, man. Despite all that, you’ll find SARMs just a click away on the internet. They’re being pitched to us bodybuilders like they’re legal versions of roids, or alternatives to steroids, or for ‘research use only’. Just gotta be cautious, that’s all.
Are SARMs safe or legal?
These SARMs, they sometimes show up in stuff that’s sold as dietary supplements. But the FDA, they’ve been clear about this—they’re not dietary supplements and they don’t have the FDA’s stamp of approval for human use. And if you’re thinking about competing, think again. Both the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have given SARMs a big fat NO for sports use. To top it off, SARMs are also on the Department of Defense’s list of banned dietary supplement ingredients.
Now, let’s say you’ve bought or were thinking about using SARMs—whether they’re in products labeled as containing a SARM (you know, with one or more SARMs listed on the Supplement Facts panel), or products marketed for research only (and not meant for human consumption), I’m telling you, bro, think again! These SARMs, they carry some serious health and readiness risks. They could also land you a positive test result if you’re tested for steroids. And one more thing—using SARMs might mess with your body’s natural testosterone production. You don’t want that, trust me.
What ingredients should you look out for?
There are some names you gotta watch out for on those dietary supplement labels and websites. I’m talking about:
– AC-262536, or Accadrine
– ACP-105, also known as Acadibol
– Andarine, aka S4, or GTx 007
– Enobosarm, you might see it as Ostarine, MK-2866, OTR-AC, or S-22
– LGD-3303
– LGD-4033, also called Anabolicum, or Ligandrol
– RAD-140, goes by Testolone, or Vosilasarm
– RAD-150, sometimes known as TLB-150, or Sustalone
– S-23
– YK-11
Now, don’t think that’s the full list, alright? Also, keep an eye out for other unapproved, experimental stuff like GW-501516 (Cardarine), MK-677 (Ibutamoren), SR-9009 (Stenabolic), and SR-9011. These bad boys might sometimes be marketed as SARMs, but they ain’t. They’re illegal for anything other than research purposes. All unapproved drugs are a no-go for Service Members.
If you need a more comprehensive list, look up “SARMs in dietary supplements“. There’s also a warning from the FDA about the use of SARMs among teens and young adults. Source: opss.org