Anabolics

SARMs: What's the harm?

Weight lifter getting ready to lift barbell with heavy weights

“SARMs” is a class of anabolic agents. Before you consider using a SARM, learn the facts here.

What are SARMs?

SARMs—short for “selective androgen receptor modulators”—are synthetic drugs designed to have effects similar to those of testosterone. SARMs are still in the research and testing stages for various medical conditions but have not been approved yet for any other use. Despite that, SARMs are readily available online and often marketed to bodybuilders as “legal steroids” or “steroid alternatives” or for “research only.”

Are SARMs safe or legal?

Although SARMs sometimes are sold in products marketed as dietary supplements, FDA has stated they are not dietary supplements and are unapproved by FDA for human use. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) prohibit SARMS for use in sport. All SARMs are also on the DoD Prohibited Dietary Supplement Ingredients list.

 

USU/CHAMP logo. Operation Supplement Safety logo. SARMs (Selective androgen receptor modulators) are unapproved drugs. They're also: illegally marketed and sold as dietary supplements, banned in all professional and college sports, unapproved by FDA for human use, known to adversely affect the liver and cholesterol levels. Is it worth the risk to your performance and readiness?

 

If you have purchased or considered using SARMs—including dietary supplement products labeled as containing a SARM (that is, with one or more SARMs on the Supplement Facts panel) and products marketed for research purposes only (and not for human consumption)—think again! SARMs pose significant health and readiness risks. They also might cause positive results if you are tested for steroids. Importantly, use of SARMs might interfere with the natural release of your own testosterone.

What ingredients should you look out for?

Some of the ingredient names to watch out for on dietary supplement product labels and websites include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • AC-262536 (Accadrine)
  • ACP-105 (Acadibol)
  • Andarine (S4, GTx 007)
  • Enobosarm (Ostarine, MK-2866, OTR-AC, S-22)
  • LGD-3303
  • LGD-4033 (Anabolicum, Ligandrol)
  • RAD-140 (Testolone, Vosilasarm)
  • RAD-150 (TLB-150, Sustalone)
  • S-23
  • YK-11

Watch out too for other experimental, unapproved drugs—such as GW-501516 (Cardarine), MK-677 (Ibutamoren), SR-9009 (Stenabolic), and SR-9011—that sometimes are marketed as SARMs. They aren’t, but they also are illegal for any use other than research. All unapproved drugs are prohibited for use by Service Members.

For a more complete list of names, please see “SARMs in dietary supplements.” Also, please see the warning from FDA about SARMs use among teens and young adults.

 

Updated 27 April 2023