SARMs Interest On the Rise
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) have emerged as one of the most popular potential alternatives to traditional anabolic steroids in the world of performance enhancements. Experts have warned users about hormonal imbalances and potentially life-threatening issues, such as an increased risk of heart attack and stroke from the usage of SARMs. Despite these risks, this route has piqued the interest of many college students and younger generations.
The rise in interest in SARMs can be attributed to many things, one major reason being the influence found on social media. Many influencers, especially on TikTok, such as the Tren Twins and Sam Sulek, have recently gained a larger following.
These influencers use their platform to entertain and encourage their audiences to get in the gym and begin or continue their lifting journey. Today, influencers who gain such a platform often get put on a pedestal that can lead viewers to do whatever that influencer says, regardless of medical expertise.
“The big influencers are all on steroids, so it made me want to give it a try. I would say it most definitely had an impact,” said Cleveland State digital marketing major Ryan Trent.
SARMs are used to enhance performance and have a similar effect to testosterone. The most common SARMs include ostarine, ligandrol (LGD-4033), and RAD-140. Originally developed for the treatment of osteoporosis, their usage has shifted. The appeal of SARMs is the perceived minimal side effects compared to traditional steroids.
However, they are not approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), meaning the United States Food and Drug Administration has not approved SARMs as being safe and effective for their intended use. Side effects can include aggression, sleep disturbances, and sexual imbalances.
Dr. Daniel Keaton, psychiatrist and chief of staff at Ashtabula Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, warns against taking anything that is not approved by the FDA.
“If it is not monitored by the FDA, you don’t know what you’re taking, and you don’t know what the strength of it is,” he said.
Anabolic steroids and SARMs are aimed at supporting muscle growth quickly, but each goes about it differently. SARMs specifically target the androgen receptors in muscles and bones, whereas anabolic steroids target androgen receptors across the whole body, sometimes creating new receptors.
Most SARMs users include weightlifters who aim to increase muscle mass and intensity of their lifts. Users tend to believe SARMs are safer than typical anabolic steroids, although this is untrue.
Senior criminology major experimented with ostarine and RAD-140. “When I was really into lifting and physique, I still wasn’t getting the look I wanted,” they said. “I thought, ‘This is affordable, so why not try it?’”
The concern with SARMs is that many people take them without recommendation or any kind of professional monitoring. It is currently illegal for doctors to prescribe a SARM, however, they can still monitor the process regardless of whether or not they recommend it.
Trent said he got RAD-140 from a friend and took it for two months without consulting with any medical professionals, receiving the intended benefits.
“I ran out of breath a lot quicker than I normally would,” Trent said. “I had been lifting for a while, and it got to a point where I wasn’t making much progress. Once the opportunity presented itself, I took them.”
The route of injection is another appeal of SARMs to potential users. Many of the common SARMs can be taken orally, which is more user-friendly than the anabolic steroids’ common injection method with needles.
“I wouldn’t even consider taking anything that I had to inject into me, that's where I would draw a line,” said junior business management major Anthony Arkhipov.
Oral medications are less intimidating than anabolic steroids, which require the user to inject a needle into their body. The injection medications often scare potential users away.
“I have known some guys who had low levels of testosterone and could not bring themselves to jab themselves with a needle,” Dr. Keaton said.
As SARMs continue their upward trajectory and many people become curious about their potential benefits, their availability will play a factor. They are not available to be bought over the counter, as many users find them online.
“If I could go to the store and buy them, there is a good chance I would try a cycle or two,” Arkhipov said.
As the SARMs market and interest continue to grow, the questioned long-term side effects will be determined as more studies are conducted. Ongoing research and data testing will help provide a clearer picture of the safety of SARMs, and users may consider adjusting their stance on these substances as more data becomes available.
“I would not recommend taking anything that alters your biochemistry without appropriate monitoring,” Dr. Keaton said.