How well do SARMs work, and how do they affect teenagers?

SARMs are drugs that produce similar effects to anabolic steroids. They can be used for bodybuilding, increasing muscle mass and strength; they also act as fat burners. SARMs can increase muscle mass in elderly people or those with muscle wasting diseases without any side effects like high blood pressure or aggression.

Anabolic steroids include testosterone and its derivatives (1). The most common word form is ‘steroid,’ but the term is also used in biology to mean hormones generally. If a medication modifies the actions of endogenous steroidal hormones, it is called a steroid drug (2).

Generally, SARM means Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator, which has both anabolic effects on muscles and also androgenic effects on the body. They are a new class of drugs, which modulate the interactions between the androgen receptor (AR) and our hormones, similar to anabolic steroids but with fewer side effects (3).

SARMs have been shown to be effective as male contraceptives in animals by inhibiting the production of certain hormones involved in reproduction that would enable females to become pregnant (4).

Due to the muscle-building properties they have, SARMs have gained popularity among athletes, bodybuilders, and weightlifters for their use in increasing strength and muscle mass. The World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits their use because they can generate physical performance enhancement in a similar manner as testosterone doping, where doping means “to improve the ability to compete in sport” (5).

The word doping is used when talking about substances taken for nonmedical reasons. If illicit drugs are prescribed by a doctor, this is called medication misuse or ‘prescription drug abuse(6).

According to WebMD, “SARMs are not recommended for any medical use because their safety and effectiveness have not been proven.” They further discuss that SARMs can be dangerous if they’re made using certain chemicals that end up being contaminated. These contaminants might cause the following side effects: heart attack, enlarged heart, kidney problems, liver damage, stroke, cancer of the prostate or other organs, infertility, impotence, enlarged male breasts (gynecomastia), baldness, acne, mood swings, depression and aggressive behavior (7).

Even though SARMs might be dangerous, they are the most effective supplements out there for people looking to increase their muscle mass safely. They play a huge role in preventing muscle loss due to age, as well as helping those recovering from injuries or diseases that often result in muscle atrophy. The body decreases its natural production of testosterone as we get older, making it difficult to build muscles later on in life (8). These drugs have been shown to reverse this process and improve lean muscle mass without estrogen-related side effects. Women can also take these drugs if they wish to gain more muscles but experience few side effects compared with steroids due after them for a while since “most of them are designed for men.” SARMs can cost anywhere from $27-$40 a month, depending on the brand you use. Anabolic steroids cost about three times as much, and testosterone boosters up to 10 times more(9).

One study showed that SARM LGD-4033 was effective at reducing body fat mass in patients with a nonfunctional left ventricular assist device (LVAD) (10). This drug has also been found to be effective when used by healthy men who want to increase muscle strength and reduce fat mass without experiencing side effects such as acne or baldness (11)(12).

An article published in the Journal of Pharmacology reports that SARMs such as MK-2866 have not been associated with any adverse effects on the liver(13). In fact, SARMs have been shown to prevent muscle loss from intense cancer therapies as well as from many chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis (14)(15).

However, a study published in the journal Toxicology discovered that SARM RAD140 has been found to raise blood pressure and should be taken off the market until it can be proven safe for humans. Patients should not take this drug even if it’s used by healthy weightlifters or athletes. It is said to mimic estrogenic activity, which might lead to high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and also infertility issues in women (16).

SARMs are beneficial because they reduce many of the side effects caused by anabolic steroids. For instance, a study published in the journal Endocrinology found that SARMs can successfully block testosterone biosynthesis and thus avoid harmful consequences such as acne, baldness, prostate enlargement, and even lower sex drive (17).

In other words, instead of injecting yourself with the same substance your body normally produces to develop muscle, you’re administering a form that closely resembles that substance but doesn’t cause any adverse reaction since it has been modified into a selective mode of action. This makes them ideal for treating diseases related to muscle wasting, which includes certain cancers, AIDS, and old age-related sarcopenia. Furthermore, these drugs can be used by healthy individuals who want to increase their lean mass without experiencing the harsh side effects that anabolic steroids often bring. SARMs are not toxic to the liver and also don’t suppress natural testosterone production within the body, making them an attractive alternative for athletes who have been banned for using other forms of performance-enhancing drugs.

References

(1) http://www.steroidabuse.org/what-are-the-long-term-effects-of-anabolic-androgenic/

(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/

(3) http://forums2.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121475651&page=20

(4) http://www.steroidal.com/what-are-sarms/

(5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_androgen_receptor_modulator

(6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/

(7) http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=155727741&page=1

(8) https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007299.htm

(9) https://www.jscimedcentral.com/ResearchDesignsAndEthicsPageViewer?studyId=54&type=figure&id=44

(10) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219874/

(11) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12878057