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Enobosarm, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), is the most extensively studied compound in its class and has officially entered Phase III clinical trials for R+, ER+, HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer. As its trade name implies, Ostarine is also in trials for its aid in helping people with Osteoporosis.
What is it?:
It is a partial agonist of the Androgen Receptor (AR) gene. This means that it is semi-competitive and, along with endogenous Testosterone, binds to androgen receptors within the body. The selectivity of this SARM implies that it targets skeletal muscle explicitly and has been proven in trials to be effective. "Women treated with 9 mg or 18 mg of enobosarm reported to have an improvement in quality of life, including mobility, anxiety or depression, and pain discomfort."
How is this helpful compound in the gym and daily life mobility?
Similar to Testosterone, Ostarine helps build lean tissue, namely functional muscle, while improving body composition. It is heavily touted as a cutting SARM for weight loss, due to its protective effects on muscle and a milder anabolic androgenic profile of 10:1.
The Good:
There are many positive aspects to discuss regarding Ostarine, one of which is that, unlike its cousin SARMs (which have fewer clinical studies indicating their safety), it is a partial agonist, rather than a full agonist, of the Androgen receptor. What this means is that while it won't pack on muscle as quickly and substantially as drugs like Ligandrol or Rad140, it won't be as suppressive on your body's natural Testosterone levels and can be used for a few months without noticeable effects on your all-too-precious T levels.
Surprisingly, it does have quite the anti-depressant effect. I was always in a strong, upright state, wanting to stand up straight with my shoulders back and with a firm resolve, while on this compound. The vast difference you'll notice with this drug is that you'll be hard pressed to get sore from lactic acid buildup in the gym.
You'll lift stronger, connective tissues will also receive a significant boost, and muscles will grow at a faster rate with less required recovery time. Another great benefit of Ostarine is that it won't aromatize into estrogen, meaning it won't convert into excessive estrogens in the body, so there's no need to take an aromatase inhibitor that might be required in a heavy steroid cycle. In total, I've run this compound for a cumulative year (all in 3-month cycles) and have not suffered prolactin-related side effects such as gynecomastia. I've taken prescriptions that have led me to the development of gyno, so I know my body is prone to it, but never on Ostarine even in the slightest, which is a massive benefit over other compounds; and this peace of mind alone is a considerable selling factor that many guys worry about. Additionally, I have never noticed any testicular shrinkage, which is fantastic news.
What I've found:
After eight weeks of continuous use of 30mg/day Ostarine (always in conjunction with Ibutamoren), there was no noticeable suppression. If you want to avoid seemingly negative effects while running Ostarine, then I'd say stop at the conclusion of week 8 and return to regular off-cycle lifting for the next four months.
The benefit of Ostarine is that it allows you to maintain your gains. While other, more potent SARMs like Rad140 and LGD4033 can cause significant muscle growth, I've seen firsthand that after coming off the compounds, muscle gains diminish quickly. The benefit of Ostarine is that it acts as a partial agonist, working in tandem with Testosterone over shorter cycles. When you discontinue the compound, you'll more often than not maintain your weight. Some aesthetics may not hold the same, but muscle mass and size-wise, Ostarine is good about retaining muscle that was visible in the mirror before cycling off. I've run this compound for many cycles, and it's very predictable in that fashion.
Side note: Running this compound over the long term will eventually lead to a plateauing effect (this is due to down-regulation of expression of the AR gene), but 1 or 2 complete cycles on this SARM go a long way in radically transforming an untrained body to a fit specimen if coupled with an on-point diet and exercise routine. I highly recommend the professional training found over at IronOak Fitness.
The Bad:
It doesn't convert to DHT or fill the role that Testosterone plays in the body. This means that it won't regulate normal body processes that are handled by endogenous Testosterone in the body. This means that your body will shut down or slow the production of Testosterone while taking this compound orally. In my experience, somewhere between week 9-10, I noticed libido, energy, and confidence drop significantly, and pushing it to the full 12-week cycle recommendations of the workout programs I was on made me feel skiddish, out of energy, and wishing my Testosterone levels would be back at their normal levels. This finding was consistent across multiple trials with this compound. One thing to note is that at 30mg, it is x2-x3 times stronger than heavy clinical trials. It may prove advantageous, as many other users report that at 15mg, you will gain the same added benefits without as much suppression. I'd bet this is likely true; more is not necessarily better, so something a little shy of 30mg per day could go a long way in reducing its suppressive effects and potentially extending the benefits of a longer cycle.
Update 10/23/2024:
Additionally, it would likely be best to run this with a base of clomiphene or enclomiphene while on cycle to serve as a testosterone base and mitigate suppression. While these can be taken as a final month of Post-Cycle Therapy (PCT) to restart Testosterone production, you could also take them alongside the Ostarine to keep things running smoothly. Taking Clomid 25mg every third day has been shown to mitigate suppression of even more suppressive compounds (I ran this with my 10mg/day of Rad140 cycle and kept testosterone levels over 500+ even at week 7.) Or taking somewhere between 10-12.5mg of enclomiphene daily would more than suffice while on Ostarine. This is my newly updated preference, learned from trial and error — why tank your natural hormones if you can keep them stable and feel better?
Caution:
One note when using any of these anabolic androgens, whether they are tissue-selective orals like Ostarine or simply regular injected Testosterone, is their effect on your blood lipid profile. More specifically, these compounds will lower your HDL Cholesterol, also known as the "good" cholesterol. Just because it is a liquid compound taken by mouth does not mean it is side-effect-free.
So why does this happen, and what does it mean for muscle growth?
In straightforward terms, cholesterol plays a vital role in enhancing the resilience of your muscle cells, enabling them to recover more effectively after workouts, which is essential for promoting muscle growth. Additionally, cholesterol indirectly contributes to enhancing your gains by serving as the precursor for anabolic hormones and being pivotal in their synthesis.
The primary anabolic hormones associated with cholesterol include:
- Testosterone: The primary sex hormone found in men, which has significant effects on muscle tissues, promoting muscle growth and protein synthesis, leading to increased muscle mass and strength.
- Estrogen: Primary hormone found in women, but is also present in men. It has anabolic effects on bone density and overall body composition.
- Progesterone plays a role in the female menstrual cycle and pregnancy, and although it is not typically associated with muscle growth, it contributes to overall anabolic processes in the body.
Since cholesterol is a precursor to these sex hormones (Testosterone and estrogen) as well as other steroid hormones, such as cortisol and aldosterone, the complex interplay of different functions in the body helps regulate processes related to anabolism, including metabolism, inflammation, electrolyte balance, and tissue repair. It is essential to cycle your SARMs to allow your body sufficient recovery time to restore balance before introducing more androgens. Without proper recovery of your lipid profiles, the creation of endogenous Testosterone will be affected, and you will feel the lagging effects such as low energy, libido, mood, and depression.
My Low HDL and elevated AST liver enzymes while on Ostarine
While SARMs can affect muscle and bone tissues, they are unable to perform the necessary functional processes in the body that Testosterone, the original bodily steroid, can accomplish. If you choose to run a SARMs only / oral cycle it is essential to limit exposure time to 8-12 weeks (in my experience 8 weeks without noticeable side effects, but this will vary per person) and then take at minimum the same amount of time to recover, but I'd caution to say 5-6 months between to give your body ample time to heal. If you choose to run it alongside Testosterone, the timeline for cycles and your natural bodily processes' timeframe can potentially be extended. However, this article will not delve into those details, as it is best to work with a Doctor on proper administration and Testosterone levels chosen.
The preferred option is to run Enclomiphene alongside Ostarine, and then for at least a month post-cycle to maintain high Testosterone production and help your body recover.
In conclusion, Enobosarm is a pristine compound that can significantly aid in muscle growth and recovery time in the gym. Proper protocols, appropriate dosing, and timing of the compound are crucial in maximizing the benefits of your usage while minimizing harmful side effects, such as elevated liver enzymes, degradation of the HDL lipid profile, and reduced energy and libido when used over extended periods. Benefits of this compound for gym performance include no hair loss, no gynecomastia, no testicular shrinkage, and no need for needles. And of course, significant muscle growth in the gym.
Overall, I give this SARM a rating of:
