The pandemic did a lot to us all, but there may have been one silver lining. Exercise rates went up by 88% in 2020, bringing in a whole new wave of fitness fanatics.
If you’re looking to achieve your fitness goals, you’ve probably seen some of the new trends in the world of supplements. Let’s talk about the hottest new supplement on the market, selective androgen receptor modulators, more commonly known as SARMs.
What Are SARMs?
Selective androgen receptor modulators are a popular new tool in the fitness industry. Bodybuilders, powerlifters, weightlifters, and many other athletes use them in their supplement portfolios for several reasons.
While we will be calling them a “supplement”, it’s important to note that they aren’t exactly a dietary supplement. To understand what SARMs are, you have to understand how androgenic drugs work. They work by binding to your androgen receptors which trigger changes in your DNA to promote muscle growth and fat loss.
Like many supplements, SARMs come in a variety of different forms. You may purchase them in a tincture, capsule, or powder, and you will find different types of them for achieving different fitness goals.
Although, in order to achieve the optimal effects of SARMs, you will need to cycle them periodically as you do with pre-workout (every time, right?) and other supplements. You should not continue a cycle of SARMs for longer than 8 weeks, and you should wait at least 6 weeks before starting another cycle to prevent health issues and dependency.
Why Do People Use Them?
SARMs offer a number of benefits that increase your goals at the gym. No matter what kind of sport you are participating in, SARMs will offer you some type of benefit.
If your goal is to build muscle, burn fat, increase strength, increase speed, or anything else, these supplements will help you on your journey to peak physical fitness.
SARMs act as a natural testosterone booster, which not only helps put your body into an anabolic (muscle-building) state but also helps increase your workout intensity. This means that you may see some faster strength gains than you’re used to, especially in the early days of your cycle.
They aid your body’s natural fat-burning processes as well, which will be even more effective with the right diet and exercise routine. Bodybuilders use SARM cycles for bulking, cutting, and even body recomposition.
While that is the most popular use, endurance athletes could even benefit from using certain types of SARMs. They act as excellent promoters for all types of various fitness goals.
When Did They Come Out?
While it seems they are just making a name for themselves in the fitness industry, SARMs have actually been around longer than you may think. In fact, they’ve been in use since the 1940s for various purposing, including the treatment of breast cancer.
SARMs were primarily developed to reduce the muscle-wasting effects of certain diseases and were originally proposed as therapeutics for certain patients.
However, it wasn’t until the late 1990s that they were used as performance enhancers or anabolics, and they’ve become even more popular since the late 2010s.
Are They Safe?
As we discussed, SARMs do require further research from trusted bodies before we can definitively say they are entirely safe. While they have not been approved by the FDA for bodybuilding or other sports, they have not been restricted by any significant government body.
Although most of the information we have on SARMs is anecdotal, the results do sound promising. People who cycle them regularly report experiencing very limited side effects if any at all. Some anecdotal side effects include:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Low libido
- Fatigue
- Lower testosterone production
There have been suggestions that SARMs may increase your risk for certain cancers or heart disease but these allegations are not confirmed. There have been suggestions of a link between SARMs and liver conditions, but again, they are unconfirmed.
The truth is that, although anecdotal, most users simply say they experience massive strength gains without any noticeable side effects. Like every new tool in the fitness industry, there is a lot of misinformation that gets spread around.
Common Myths About SARMs
You may have heard plenty of conflicting information about SARMs from your friends at the gym, blog posts, social media, and “experts” on Reddit.
It’s a shame when disinformation goes around, no matter what it’s saying. Somebody telling you that SARMs give you more benefits than vegetables is equally as wrong as someone telling you they will kill you in 3 weeks. Regardless of what you’ve heard, let’s go over some of the biggest myths and tell the truth about these supplements.
Myth: SARMs are Illegal
This myth doesn’t even have an ounce of truth. There has never even been a period in the US when SARMs were illegal.
SARMs are entirely legal to sell, purchase, or consume in the US. They have not been cleared by the FDA for use for bodybuilding but there is nothing illegal about buying them from supplement stores.
Not only is that true in the US, but there is currently no country in the world with an explicit law banning the use, production, or sales of supplements that contain SARMs.
Myth: SARMs are Steroids
SARMs are not steroids, although they do act similarly. Both bind to your androgen receptors, help you achieve an anabolic state, and need to be cycled. However, the commonalities they have do not mean they are the same.
Studies of SARMs are fairly limited compared to steroids but there is enough evidence to say without a doubt that the two are different. A key difference is that SARMs are taken orally, whereas steroids are injected.
Steroids are most commonly known for their negative side effects, especially “roid rage” or increased temperament. SARMs are known to have a much more limited set of common side effects than steroids, although further research is still needed.
Also, another important distinction between the two is that steroids are illegal and SARMs are not. That means that you can purchase them from reputable dealers and not from some random guy at your gym.
Myth: SARMS are Only For Muscle Growth
This is entirely untrue. As we mentioned before, just about any athlete will see benefits from using some form of SARMs, as they are very effective at putting your body into an anabolic state.
It’s mostly important that you are taking the right kinds of SARMs, as there are important variances. We will discuss that later.
Myth: SARMs Guarantee Muscle Growth
If anything tells you that you are guaranteed to see any type of results, you should be skeptical. SARMs will undoubtedly help you reach your fitness goals but there is not a supplement in the world that will help you reach them without the right diet and exercise routine.
You wouldn’t expect to take creatine or whey protein without working out or maintaining a surplus of calories, so why would you expect that from any other supplement?
Again, these are fantastic aids that help you push harder at the gym and see faster results, but you will still have to put in the work. However, you still need to get proper sleep, proper nutrition, and a solid training program.
SARMs will put you in the right state to build muscle, but you will still have to do the building yourself.
Remember that SARMs are not dietary supplements, so you will need to maintain a proper intake of the key macronutrients and micronutrients that are responsible for muscle growth. Eat a wide variety of whole foods and necessary supplements to achieve the maximum benefit of SARMs or any other workout booster.
Myth: All SARMs Work The Same
This is not true at all. There are different SARMs for different purposes, which is why they are called selective androgen receptor modulators. There are certain types that are more effective for fat loss, muscle growth, strength gains, and more.
It’s important to do your research on a product before you use it to ensure that the cycle you choose matches your objectives. If the seller isn’t clear about it, read the reviews on the website and see how people used them.
Are SARMs Right For Me?
That is completely up to you. SARMs have some major anecdotal advantages among users and they definitely have a promising place in the bodybuilding industry, so it all comes down to personal preferences.
If you are okay with the potential risks, there do seem to be several advantages to cycling these supplements in your fitness routine. However, there simply isn’t enough research to suggest their long-term effects.
Many people are okay with the risks because they are dedicated to their fitness goals and willing to do what it takes to achieve them.
In this case, there is little harm in trying one cycle and monitoring your own side effects. If you are noticing any changes in health or reasons for concern, then they are not for you. However, you may see significant results in your training without any issues at all.
If you have health conditions that may put you at a higher risk for complications, talk to your doctor about using them and have them monitor your use. Either way, if you’re looking to give yourself that boost, then let’s talk about how to get your hands on them safely.
Where Can I Buy SARMs?
Now that we’ve debunked some of the common myths about SARMs and talked about some of the major supposed benefits of them, you may be interested in using them for your training.
We mentioned that SARMs have fewer side effects than steroids but we should put a clause next to that. SARMs are much safer when you buy them from a reputable dealer, ensuring that you know what you are getting.
You can buy SARMs online from reputable dealers and boost your gains but make sure that you track how they are affecting you and stop the cycle if you are experiencing any negative side effects.
How Can I Find The Right SARMs For Me?
Finding the proper dosing and the right products are equally important when you are shopping for SARMs. You should read the descriptions about what they are used for as well as a guide for dosing based on your age, weight range, and goals.
Be sure to read reviews from people and do a little research on the specific product that seems to be right for you. It may say that it’s great on the website but it’s good to have some testimonials from others with similar goals to you. This is not only to make sure that the product is safe but also that it aligns with the goals you are trying to achieve.
If you find the right product, give it a shot and see how it works! Again, just make sure that it’s working for you and that you aren’t experiencing any serious side effects! If you can do that, then you’re in the clear!
Keep Building That Physique!
The reason you’re looking into SARMs is that you want to achieve your goals and you’ll do whatever it takes to do so. Well, good. You’re in the small minority of people who are sincerely dedicated to their fitness goals, and that’s what we love to see! Stay up to date with our latest fitness news and don’t give up on your goals!