Taking SARMs for Bigger Arms?

Pills are common forms of ingesting SARMs (photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eandistudios/2333660035/in/photolist)

The supposed new safer performance enhancing drug is already being sold to athletes and the general public illegally without pharmaceutical testing. This new drug is becoming more popular due to its perceived safety. Taking SARMs will add more muscle to your body, with reduced negative effects compared to common anabolic steroids, however scientists warn that they aren’t as safe as they appear to be.

What are they?

Selective Androgen Modulators, more commonly known as SARMs, are a class of chemical compounds that have some similar properties to that of lab made human growth hormones (i.e. mimics of testosterone). Similar to steroids, they affect the body by increasing muscle mass and strength while also reducing body fat. SARMs affect the human body’s sensor for certain growth hormones like testosterone, meaning that the body keeps producing an increased amount naturally due to it suppressing part of the body’s hormone cycle.

SARMs vs Steroids

SARMs are different from the more notorious performance enhancing drug, anabolic steroids, as they don’t introduce any lab made steroids into the body. Anabolic steroids are used by todays bodybuilders and some athletes for increased physical capabilities as they mimic the growth hormone, testosterone. SARMs are an appealing option as they can target specific muscle groups, with reduced negative side effects. Steroids will affect the body more drastically than SARMs, as they directly add more hormones to the human body. SARMs will have less of an effect due to it only affecting certain muscle groups for targeted testosterone level increases.

Example of a lab made human growth hormone for performance enhancement (Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Depo-testosterone_200_mg_ml.jpg)

Is it Safe?

Although SARMs are said to be safer than steroids, they still have the same negative effects, but perhaps to a lesser degree. Since someone who takes SARMs will have higher than normal testosterone level, abuse can lead to the same effects as steroids. The negative side effects include balding, increased aggression, depression, liver damage, heart attacks and strokes. Recent studies by the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) have recorded cases of life-threatening liver toxicity. Another warning regarding SARMs is that long-term clinical tests are still being conducted.

Closing remarks

If you’re someone considering taking steroids, SARMs may be a safer option; however, because of the known short-term side effects and limited completed long-term studies, they should not be taken. The much safer and recommended option is to not take any type of steroid and SARM without specific medical conditions like muscle degeneration and anemia. Taking SARMs are a prohibited substance in the World Anti-Doping Agency and are manufactured and sold illegally.

Christopher Lam

The famous bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger (Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bodybuildinginindia/4060600616/in/photolist)