Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, or SARMs as they are more commonly known, are quickly gaining popularity amongst Cambridge’s bodybuilders and other athletes as an alternative to traditional performance-enhancing methods, including steroids and prohormones.
However, they’re still relatively new in the market and the subject of active research. This has led to a vast amount of misinformation which may be difficult to separate from concrete facts – particularly for beginners exploring the possibility of using SARMs for the first time.
Are SARMs safe?
While research is ongoing, the consensus is that SARMs are far safer than the most popular alternative, anabolic steroids. As a class of androgen receptor ligands, each type of SARM binds to androgen receptors in specific tissues, allowing targeted effects that don’t overload the body with testosterone.
The main advantage of taking SARMs over steroids is that, when taken correctly, they don’t cause the same potentially serious side effects as steroids. Those side effects include shrinking testicles, liver issues, and gynecomastia, which is swelling in male breasts caused by hormonal imbalance. While some side effects may occur depending on the SARM used, they are usually far milder than those brought on by the use of anabolic steroids.
Purchasing SARMs
As the UK’s Food Standard Agency (FSA) classifies SARMs as ‘novel food’ and has not authorized its commercialization in the country, they are not legally sold for human consumption. They are, however, perfectly legal to buy and sell for research purposes.
This classification has effectively created a grey area where unscrupulous manufacturers thrive, selling low-quality SARMs online. To avoid cheap knockoffs, buying from a reputable seller like SARMs UK, which specializes in selling high-quality SARMs, rather than buying on general marketplaces such as Amazon, is important.
The best SARM for beginners
With particularly mild side effects and a sizable body of research to back up its effectiveness, Ostarine MK-2866 is the SARM of choice for most beginners. Initially developed as a method to treat muscle wasting diseases, it is highly effective in increasing lean muscle mass and reducing fat mass. However, starting with low dosages and increasing gradually is important: no SARM will kick in immediately and change your body overnight. The most common dosage and duration advice for a first cycle of Ostarine is to take no more than 20mg a day for 8 weeks at most. Ostarine does not require post-cycle therapy (PCT) when taken within these limits.
Stacking for beginners
Different SARMs have slightly different chemical compositions and different effects on various tissues. ‘Stacking’ is the act of taking more than one SARM during the same cycle to maximize the benefits. However, this is not recommended for absolute beginners: it is best to only move on to stacking after comfortably completing at least one cycle with a single SARM.
Moreover, it is possible to suffer mild side effects with different SARMs. If a beginner stacks SARMs on their first cycle and suffers from side effects, figuring out which SARM caused the reaction will be impossible without going through a trial and error process. You can easily avoid this issue by starting with a single SARM.
While not yet as popular as anabolic androgenic steroids, SARMs are growing and will likely become more and more widely used as more research is carried out and their potential becomes better understood. Remember, always buy from a reputable source such as SARMs UK, which can provide information backed up by science to allow everyone – from experienced users to absolute beginners – to make an informed choice.
