Straight Facts: Understanding SARMs – Are They Safe? What Are The Real Risks?

Jerry Brainum shares the straight facts about SARMs and the common misconceptions perpetuated around the unapproved substance.

There used to be a time when bodybuilding and pro sports were only associated with one key performance enhancing drug – steroids. Those days are gone. We now have athletes that use a wide array of PEDs. One of those is selective androgen receptor modulators – also known commonly as SARMs. This substance is often billed as providing the benefits of steroids without the side effects. But is that too good to be true? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum explains everything you need to know about SARMs including the risks and misconceptions behind the relatively new substance.

SARMs (selective androgen receptor modulators) are less commonly known to the mainstream public in comparison to steroids. They are also not as strictly illegal as steroids are for athletic use. At least, when you get down to the fine print of it all. But SARMs are still a very powerful drug with a big grey area surrounding them in terms of health and safety. In fact, despite appearing safer, there are currently no SARMs approved by the FDA in the United States. So it is impossible to get a legal SARM product as a consumer.

Jerry Brainum understands that athletes such as bodybuilders are always going to take risks. He is not going to tell you what drugs you should or shouldn’t take. But he does feel a responsibility to help inform the public about the facts behind these substances. Far too often, a bodybuilder or athlete will take a substance like SARMs without realizing exactly what is being put in their body.

What are SARMs?

Simply put, Jerry Brainum explains that SARMs are a substance that directly affects the androgen receptors in your body. The invention of selective androgen receptor modulators was to find a solution to the side effects caused by steroids. Of course, we aren’t talking about this in regards to performance enhancement. Scientists were trying to find a solution to legally prescribed steroids for patients who suffer unfortunate side effects.

Eventually these studies and experiments led to the creation of SARMs as we know them today. It’s part of the reason they are promoted as having the power of steroids without the side effects. However, this is somewhat misleading. Due to the fact that SARMs were never approved by the FDA – there is a big grey area as to how these substances really affect the human body.

The side effects of SARMs: Are they safe?

The frustrating reality about SARMs is that there are not many extensive studies on these substances. Much like steroids or marijuana – it’s unapproved status puts limits on what scientists can do when it comes to clear cut studies. However, there are some points to consider and some case studies that can be referred to for insight.

Jerry Brainum starts off by explaining the inherent dangers of buying SARMs come from the fact you cannot buy them legally in the United States. This means that any SARM you buy online will be made on the black market. These labs do not have to hold themselves accountable to the standards set by the FDA. This means you don’t really know what you are getting in the product.

Jerry Brainum cites a study that purchased 20-25 different SARM products. They then studied the contents of each drug to determine the validity of the substance. In the end, it turned out that 50% of the substances purchased were either contaminated (or cut) with alternate substances. Some of the substances were even completely different drugs and contained no SARMs at all within them.

This is a massive risk. Much like other illegal designer drugs such as ecstasy, heroine, etc – buying a drug like SARMs via illegal means can lead to unintended consequences. Best case scenario you get a weaker or inert version of the SARM. Worst case you get something poisonous in your system that harms your health or is even lethal.

What makes this even worse is that many companies that are illegally selling SARMs online advertise themselves as a safe alternative to steroids. Not only is this inherently not true due to the black market nature of buying them – but there are some case studies that suggest that even pure SARMs are not as safe as advertised.

Jerry Brainum details another case study that mentioned potential side effects, including effects on the heart, that seem to be tied to SARMs. Again, there are less than ideal long term studies done to truly prove this. But a case study acts as a “what if” scenario. Perhaps not everyone will face side effects from SARMs – but it’s possible due to the information revealed in these case studies.

Just like you want to do research on a car before you buy it – SARMs need more rigorous research before they can be confidently proclaimed safe.

Wrap Up

Jerry Brainum goes into far more detail about SARMs, including scientific definitions and further breakdowns of case studies. Far more information than we can cover here in this article. So make sure to check out the latest episode of Straight Facts above – and decide for yourself if SARMs are a risk you want to take.