Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Kiel DiGiovanni, Co-founder
FACT CHECKED
SARMs crashed onto the scene in the early 2000's and 2010's which made a massive impression on the bodybuilding community. Touted as a safer alternative than anabolic steroids, they promise to provide all the mass and strength gains you want while avoiding acne and hair loss and keeping your kidneys working at 100%.
But let's be honest; did anyone really believe that? While SARMs are still relatively new, we know two things:
- They do work
- They do cause adverse side effects
*Disclaimer* The information in this article is purely educational and is by no means meant to be taken as medical advice. Generally, we would tell you to speak to your health care provider or doctor, but SARMs are NOT approved for human consumption. Therefore, no medical professional will advise you to take them. Regardless, it would be best if you still spoke to them. Be smart.
What Are SARMs?
SARMs are Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators developed relatively recently in the 1990s. While their development was ongoing, significant advancements were made in 1998.
As their name suggests, SARMs work by binding to selective androgen receptors, the most important part being that they are selective. As they interact with your androgen receptors and can produce extra muscle mass, many people confuse them as being an anabolic steroid (AAS).
They're not. You can read our Complete Guide: SARMs vs. Steroids to get a clearer picture of similarities and differences.
Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of the male's primary sex hormone, testosterone. However, when lifters use AAS, they are not selective, meaning they will interact with numerous types of tissue. This can lead to effects on undesired tissue.
Regarding SARMs, researchers discovered how to create different compounds to target specific androgen receptors of interest. This gives them more control over creating compounds to treat specific health issues by only targeting the desired receptor, which, in theory, would help mitigate adverse effects.
A good way to think about this is the difference between using a general pain killer, such as an opiate, and a specific pain killer, such as novocaine. Yes, these painkillers work through different mechanisms, but you get the idea.
Regardless, this allowed researchers to create different SARMs to treat specific issues. Three conditions in which SARMs have shown beneficial results are:
- Cachexia
- Muscle Wasting
- Osteoporosis
And here's the thing: SARMs worked—really well. As a result, the fitness community caught on.
SARMs Introduction To The Fitness Community
Here's something to realize. SARMs work. They worked so well that the fitness community eventually caught wind. At the time, the line being sold was that SARMs could provide similar benefits to AAS without the typical side effects.
Making things worse is the surge in content found on social media and the ages of users. Of particular concern is TikTok, which has been identified as a major source of information.¹ On June 2nd, 2021, searches for 'SARMs' yielded videos with a combined view count exceeding 115 million, marking a growth of over 50% from the 67.7 million views recorded on May 2nd, 2021.
TikTok is not the best place for fitness advice, but many people go there. Many of the top "influencers" promote SARMs and claim they have no or few side effects. Considering that ⅓ of TikTok users are 14 years old or younger, this is a problem.
On top of the TikTok popularity, a quick search using Google Trends shows the dramatic rise in popularity of people searching for information around SARMs.
Are SARMs Safe?
First and foremost, the FDA does not authorize using SARMs for human consumption.² That alone should make any rational person at least a bit suspicious of taking them.
With that said, the belief that SARMs are "safe" is as wrong as a belief can be. It's simply not true. There are numerous false beliefs, such as they don't shut you down (decreasing natural testosterone production), cause acne, increase hair loss, or affect your organs. In reality, research shows they have similar risks of AAS.
As a whole, the FDA has made connections with a litany of possible adverse side effects³, including:
- Increased risk of heart attack or stroke
- Psychosis/hallucinations
- Sleep disturbances
- Sexual dysfunction
- Liver injury and acute liver failure
- Infertility
- Pregnancy miscarriage
- Testicular shrinkage
Anecdotal Evidence
Due to their legal status, research is limited, meaning the best source of knowledge on SARM use comes from anecdotal evidence. A trip to Reddit will reveal dozens of forums where people talk about their experiences with SARMs. Even though this isn't "science," it's still a great place to start due to the overwhelming amount of information. More importantly, there are many repeated, similar experiences.
A short list of commonly reported side effects include:
- Low libido
- Acne
- Shut down
- Trouble sleeping
- Erectile dysfunction
- Headaches
Here are a few boards you could choose to look at to see what users in the real world are saying:
- SARMs shutting down test production
- General side effects (Shut down, gyno, insomnia)
- An informal survey including side effects
As you can see, while a decent amount of people report no side effects, it seems a larger majority report at least some adverse side effects. In other words, they are not 100% safe.
What New Research Says:
Even though research on the use of SARMs is severely lacking (at the time of this writing), especially within the bodybuilding community, a few recent studies can give an idea of the possible side effects.
One was published in 2021 and consisted of an extensive survey done through a scientific lens.⁴ The researchers sent out a 32-question survey on Reddit boards with 343 responses from participants who were active in the gym and had taken SARMs. The majority of the users were men (98.5%) aged 18-29 (72.3%)
More than 50% of the SARM users reported significant adverse effects, including mood swings, decreased testicular size, and acne.
More concerning is a review published in 2023 titled Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators: An Emerging Liver Toxin.⁵ As the use of SARMs grows, so does evidence that suggests they can result in drug-induced liver injury. With what we know now, it seems that the risk is on par with the use of oral anabolic steroids. This would suggest that AAS may actually be safer in terms of your liver!
Increases in various adverse cardiovascular events have also been noted. There's even been some reports of rhabdomyolysis and tendon rupture!⁶
Another Concern: Non-Regulation
Another factor to consider is that the selling of SARMs is largely unregulated. This means anyone can fill some vials with a liquid and tell you it's SARMs. And yes, this happens.
An investigation from 2017 tested 44 products sold over the internet marketed as SARMs. What they discovered is concerning.⁷
- 52% contained selective androgen receptor modulators
- 39% contained another unapproved drug
- 25% of products contained substances not listed on the label
- 9% did not contain an active substance
- 59% contained substance amounts that differed from the label
You can see why this is obviously an issue. There's only a 41% chance you'll consume what you ordered. For the other 59% of the time, your best-case scenario is that you only waste money. The worst-case scenario is you have consumed something toxic or a compound that causes a dangerous reaction.
The Bottom Line
SARMs are a very new concern, having only been around for a couple of decades, which includes an even shorter time frame of popularity. As a result, studies are lacking.
However, we do know that the idea that SARMs don't produce side effects is just plain wrong, especially when used at higher doses, which are common in bodybuilding. Perhaps even more concerning is that we simply don't know the long-term effects of SARMs, as they are uncharted territory.
In fact, some experts in the field suggest the risk-to-reward ratio favors AAS use! Now, we ARE NOT suggesting you use either, but it is interesting to consider when plenty of influencers suggest SARMs don't have side effects.
Most importantly, think and be smart about any decisions you make. Read some proper sources of information to understand what is in these compounds. A little extra muscle isn't worth the possible side effects.
References
- Hahamyan, Henrik A., et al. “Social Media’s Impact on Widespread SARMs Abuse.” The Physician and Sportsmedicine, vol. 51, no. 4, 20 May 2022, pp. 1–3, https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2022.2078679.
- Haseeb Mohideen, et al. “Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators: An Emerging Liver Toxin.” Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology, vol. 000, no. 000, 28 Feb. 2023, https://doi.org/10.14218/jcth.2022.00207.
- Commissioner, Office of the. “FDA Warns of Use of Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) among Teens, Young Adults.” FDA, 28 Apr. 2023.
- Efimenko, Iakov V., et al. “Adverse Effects and Potential Benefits among Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators Users: A Cross-Sectional Survey.” International Journal of Impotence Research, 1 Sept. 2021, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-021-00465-0. Accessed 10 Sept. 2021.
- Haseeb Mohideen, et al. “Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators: An Emerging Liver Toxin.” Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology, vol. 000, no. 000, 28 Feb. 2023, https://doi.org/10.14218/jcth.2022.00207.
- Vignali, Jonathan D, et al. “Systematic Review of Safety of Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators in Healthy Adults: Implications for Recreational Users.” Journal of Xenobiotics, vol. 13, no. 2, 10 May 2023, pp. 218–236.
- Van Wagoner, Ryan M., et al. “Chemical Composition and Labeling of Substances Marketed as Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators and Sold via the Internet.” JAMA, vol. 318, no. 20, 28 Nov. 2017, p. 2004, https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.17069.
Garett Reid
Author