Are SARMs Safe? How To Minimize The Risks Of Using SARMs
SARMs are not illegal. Let’s get that one right out of the way at the start here. But are SARMs safe? Well, that’s another question entirely, and one that we are going to answer in detail right now. The thing is, SARMs can be safe, and certainly safer than anabolic steroids or prohormones, both of which are banned and dangerous to use for a variety of reasons.
But SARMs can also be quite dangerous, if you buy them blind, don’t really know what you’re looking for, and don’t know how to use them properly.
So let’s take a look at everything you need to know, from what are SARMs and how do they differ, through to discussing the safety of SARMs from all angles here. How safe they are in terms of chemical construction, their safety compared to anabolic steroids, how to use them safely, and also how to buy SARMs with the best guarantee of purity.
The History Of SARMs And Safety
To get a clue as to how safe SARMs are, you have to look at the history of SARMs to see where they’ve come from.
SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators) are research chemicals. Not a single chemical in the group classed as SARMs has ever been through full human trials and licensed for use for any purpose on humans.
SARMs are research chemicals that have been through preclinical trials, animal studies, and in some cases very limited human studies for specific purposes.
So what you’ve got with SARMs, is mostly chemicals that have been constructed because they could have a use in building muscle, retaining muscle, cutting fat, building energy, regulating the body clock, and other helpful things that can help illnesses, but have been shelved without going to market for a variety of reasons.
That should tell you that SARMs are to be approached with caution. Even the original SARMs like Ostarine and Andarine, although having been around 20 years, have never been through full human trials for any purpose. So you have to understand that when you are buying SARMs, you are not buying a finished product, and that can come with inherent and unknown side effects.
How Safe Are SARMs Compared To Anabolic Steroids And Prohormones?
Let’s be honest, there’s not a person on earth it doesn’t know that anabolic steroids are dangerous. They were never designed humans; they were mostly created the purposes of bulking up animals for various purposes.
They were hijacked by the equestrian industry, and then by the bodybuilding industry as well.
Prohormones very similar to anabolic steroids. The only real difference is that they have to be turned into what’s required by processing in the body (metabolized), rather than being what’s needed on consumption as with anabolic steroids, this slows down and lowers the potency. They are still not safe, and just like anabolic steroids are completely banned in most countries.
SARMs are completely different animal though. They aren’t as powerful as anabolic steroids or prohormones, that’s a simple fact. Even RAD-140 Testolone and YK-11 (which is actually closer to an anabolic steroid than a SARM) are far less potent.
Also, SARMs have been proven to be an agonist of the androgen receptor in muscle and bone tissue with great specificity, unlike anabolic steroids which are an agonist of androgen receptors around the body, leading to prostate problems, and significant issues with estrogen overload.
So compared to anabolic steroids and prohormones, despite the lack of research and clinical trials, SARMs, based on structure, limited trials, and 20 years of anecdotal bodybuilding evidence, are far safer to use.
Are Some SARMs Are Safer Than Others?
It’s really tough to tell you if some SARMs are safer than others. A lot of it will depend on the quality, which is vital, and also the dose you are taking them out. Also the length of time you’re taking SARMs for can matter as well.
Generally though, the milder and older SARMs are better known. They have a little more research, and far more anecdotal data online. For example, Ostarine has been in use for nearly 20 years by the bodybuilding community, and you’re just not seeing people saying they are getting side effects or long-term illnesses that are being linked to using it.
Generally, SARMs are well tolerated it seems, and hundreds of thousands of people around the world take them, and there’s no explosion of problems that would be picked up by medical people and investigated.
If you’re looking to get started with SARMs and you want to use the safest and least experimental, then these are the ones you should target:
All of those are actual SARMs, that target the androgen receptors and have similar effects at different levels. They have been in use for many years, and what they do, and any side effects around testosterone drop, are well documented.
That’s not to say other SARMs aren’t safe, it’s just that in the research chemicals classed as SARMs, but that actually don’t work on the androgen receptors, the mechanisms of action are far less understood.
Cardarine GW-501516, YK-11 , Ibutamoren, SR-9009 Stenabolic fall into that category. They are used by tons of people around the world, and they can produce significant results in terms of energy increases, muscle development, and fat burning. But it’s important to understand they aren’t actually SARMs in the sense that they are not androgenic.
S-23 is something to be looked at differently. Although it’s classed as a SARM, chemically many people suggest it’s closer to an anabolic steroid, both in structure, and how it works in the body. It activates the androgen receptor, but more generally than other SARMs. It’s very potent, but that can bring an increased risk of side effects more aligned with anabolic steroids than other SARMs.
So mostly, are SARMs safe? Yes they are. However, with the knowledge you have just been given, you can weight your risk slightly in your favor, alongside insensible dosage and cycle length.
Here Are The Main Things You Can Do To Keep Yourself Safe While Using SARMs
When it comes to using SARMs to aid your bodybuilding efforts, they definitely can increase your muscle gains, fat cutting, and endurance levels dramatically above what you can ever achieve naturally.
So they are worth using, as long as you are sensible about it. What I’m going to do here now is talk you through how you can keep yourself safe as possible while using SARMs, by using the following key tips:
- The first thing you need to do is always buy 100% pure SARMs. I’ll talk you through this more in the last section, but purity is vital for several key reasons.
- The length of the cycle is important. A typical SARMs cycle is up to 12 weeks, but for the stronger SARMs it should be around 10 weeks or less. Many beginners should start with an eight week cycle. Don’t be crazy and go straight into a 12 week cycle stacking several SARMs at high doses.
- The amount of SARMs you stack can make a huge difference. You may think that you are taking low doses of 10 or 20 mg, but when you stack several SARMs, you’re actually taking 50 or 60 mg of different SARMs per day, which is a very high dose.
- The types of SARMs you stack is also vital. If you’re bulking, use one bulking SARM with supports. So you could use RAD-140 with Cardarine and Andarine for example. That will bulk you up, give you more energy, and help you to cut fat as well. But because Cardarine isn’t actually working on the androgen receptors, it minimizes the testosterone drop. Don’t overload the SARMs that bulk you up because it can cause muscle and tissue damage alongside other side effects.
- Make sure you pay attention to your body. Note your health when you begin the cycle, and be aware of any changes in your body or mind. If you’re going to do it seriously, you might want to get a testosterone test before and after your first cycle, to see how much your testosterone level drops.
- Make sure you have PCT supplements to hand if you are using androgenic SARMs. Even if it’s your first cycle and you are only using their massively mildly androgenic Ostarine, have Nolvadex to hand. If you’re using higher doses of SARMs, or more androgenic SARMs single you’re in a stack, then I would have Nolvadex and Clomid to hand just in case.
On top of those top tips for keeping SARMs safe, I’d also tell you to be brave.
If you are feeling unwell, or you’re not reaching the gains or goals you have set yourself, don’t increase the dose, and if you’re not well, lower the dose. If you’re feeling ill or have testosterone drop, don’t be afraid to drop the dose all end the cycle early and go into PCT.
Just as if you do tons of lifting that your form is poor, if you do tons of SARMs that you don’t look after yourself and use them correctly, then you’ll damage yourself and not get the gains you are hoping for.
Are SARMs Legal?
SARMs legality around the world is quite a complex topic, so I’m just going to talk about legality in the USA here.
Right now in the USA, SARMs are legal to sell and buy. But they are not legal to sell for human consumption knowingly. So that means they can’t be advertised as having human health benefits either.
In terms of you as a consumer, it’s not illegal to buy them or take them, that’s your own personal choice.
However, that could change in the future as the SARMs control act is going through Congress. But it’s stalled for the past two years, and with the coronavirus crisis, it looks likely it will stall for a lengthy period of time, and may even be shelved because of other priorities.
How To Minimize The Chances Of Buying SARMs That Are Dangerous Or Poor Quality
When it comes to buying SARMs, you are literally in a chemical minefield. One study that purchased 44 different SARMs from various companies around the world, analyze and chemically and found only 50% of them actually contain SARMs.
Worse than that, 39% contained another unapproved drug, nearly 10% didn’t contain an active substance at all, and 60% contained a different level of concentration to that stated.
The scariest thing is that not only did nearly 40% contain unapproved drugs, but most of those unapproved drugs were banned substances including anabolic steroids!
When it comes to buying high quality SARMs, your choices are now ring dramatically right now. Supply is drying up for several reasons (pandemic, regulatory pressure, and the ban on making SARMs in China).
These are your best chance now of working with high-quality SARMs:
- CHEMYO – Liquid & Powder SARMs
There are several great reasons to buy liquid and powder SARMs from Chemyo:
- Good range of SARMs
- High quality and purity guaranteed
- Larger doses of your money
- Powder & suspension liquid to mix your own
- Moneyback guarantee
- Publish purity reports
- Free domestic shipping over $100
Let’s talk about the dosing because that’s crucial here.
The reason I buy from these guys is the fact you get more SARMs for your money. They sell 50 mL dropper bottles rather than 30 mL ones.
But it’s not just more liquid. The total dose is higher as well. But prices are the same, only slightly higher, and can parable sellers.
Therefore, you’re simply getting more bang for your buck.
As an example, you can currently buy Cardarine (dosed at 10 mg/mL) for just $54.99.
Although you have to cost out to make sure you are saving money, they also sell 1 g bags of many powdered SARMs. Plus, they sell the suspension liquid you need for just $10 per 50 mL dropper bottle as well.
Putting those together can give you high quality liquid SARMs at a significant discount. Or, you can just use the powder even more cheaply.
- Swiss Chems – SARMs Capsules & PCT
If you prefer the ultimate convenience and exact dosing of capsules, but at a reasonable price, then Swiss Chems are the company to look at.
In fact, they are pretty much the only company now in the USA that sell SARMs capsules at a high purity and reasonably priced.
They used to be quite expensive, but they drop their prices are locked over the past year, and now they are only about 10% more than liquid prices. So really not much at all to get the convenience and exact dosing.
As an example of pricing, 60 capsules of MK-677 at the time of writing this (dosed at 10 mg each) will cost you $69.95.
They also sell PCT supplements. These are also in convenient capsule format. Generic Nolvadex and Clomid are available, as well as Raloxifen.
As far as I know, they are the only “one-stop shop” the actually sell a good range of SARMs and a good range of PCT supplements together, saving you money on postage.
- Brutal Force – SARMs Alternative
If you want a break from SARMs, don’t want to use them, or you want something to use alongside them, then alternative supplements are definitely something to look at.
Brutal Force sell a range of SARMs alternatives. They are completely natural and safe supplements that are constructed to mimic the results of SARMs.
That makes them great for employing them alongside SARMs using a couple of strategies (or both of them):
- You can run these individually, or as a stack, alongside your SARMs stack to deliver higher rates of return to the effort you put in.
- You can run them post cycle. This can offset some of the problems with testosterone drop (and therefore energy drop), and it helps you to elevate your continuing results rather than dropping off to natural levels between SARMs cycles.
They are conveniently named to tell you exactly what effects they have. For example, RADBULK and CARDALEAN.
But for my money, you should buy a stack. They do cutting, bulking, maintenance, and strength stacks.
Buying a stack stage up to 50%. Plus, when you buy three months together, the third month will be completely free. On top of that, you’ll get free shipping.
That means they work out at less than $100 per month for a complete stack, and you can run three months consecutively during and after SARMs cycle to see how they work for you.