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If you've read my Ostarine (MK-2866) post, you'll know I am a massive fan of the compound. It's overall great for results and headspace. However, the number of heads you'll turn and off-hand compliments you'll receive from friends and strangers alike on Rad-140 cannot even compare. "You should model." - Female Co-worker. "Someone's been hitting the gym." - Dude who saw me for the first time. The results are uncanny, and not least because of the hardness and grainy look it gives to your muscles. It makes everything pop, especially for some reason, the forearms (I always have to size up my watch band when on Rad-140).
What is it?
For a deeper dive into the world of SARMs, refer to the Ostarine post.
However, here is a general comparison and overview:
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs), such as RAD-140 and Ostarine, target the androgen receptor (AR) to promote muscle growth with fewer side effects than anabolic steroids, due to their selectivity. Most SARMS are partial agonists in non-skeletal muscle tissues, while providing full agonism on muscle and bone. Rad-140 is no exception and is quite powerful in this regard. Providing maximum activation for muscle hypertrophy.
Even 10mg of Rad-140 is roughly twice as powerful as 30mg of Ostarine. Part of this lies in the compound's half-life, or how long it remains in your system. Ostarine has a half-life of roughly 24 hours, while Rad-140 is likely closer to 60 hours. This leads to a buildup of Rad-140 in your system, with a stable concentration being achieved in roughly two weeks. Meaning that if you consistently are taking Rad-140 each day at 10mg, your body will accumulate roughly 36mg actively in your system by the 10-14 day mark, and it will take just as long once stopping to have it cleared out of your system. Take this into consideration when choosing your starting dose as well as when planning to start post-cycle therapy.
It's more evident that you're taking something than Ostarine.
Don't be surprised if you get called out for "juicing." Although it is not structurally a steroid, the term is accurate in this context. While on Ostarine, you will seem genetically gifted, 5-8 pounds over a 3-month cycle. Rad-140, even at 10mg a day, can cause a weight gain of 12-20 lbs. Most of the time, I gain 20 pounds (with the help of MK-677) and maintain at least 12 pounds of muscle mass. However, a proper PCT afterward is essential to keep your gains. I made that mistake the first time, and took the extra time to run SERMS for the appropriate time length afterward (more on that here).
First of all, let's talk about the few downsides. You may gain weight so quickly that you experience slightly labored breathing, which is probably the most concerning of these symptoms. Watch your diet, as this is reversible; however, gaining more weight can affect this process. Second, there is lower HDL. While all SARMs can lower HDL, it is particularly crucial to run Cardarine/GW0742 in conjunction with Rad-140. If you do so, you can almost completely mitigate imbalances and even improve your cholesterol. More on Cardarine/GW0742 here. Thirdly, there are the mental side effects, which are a double-edged sword with this one. Ostarine is like a mild antidepressant and confidence booster, while Rad-140 will make you slightly pissy/impatient. You may have more drive in the gym and in your sex life, but it doesn't imbue the same confidence; if anything, I feel more timid or "less than" on this compound. Part of this could be the more significant Testosterone suppression, so I highly recommend you run Enclomiphene during the cycle.
Unfortunately, for this cycle, I was only able to get Clomiphene, not Enclomiphene, to run as a Testosterone booster. See my post here to learn more about why Enclomiphene is the newer, better, safer version of Clomiphene. But as you can see, even taking Clomid every third day, I was still able to maintain a middle of the reference range Testosterone score – even on the highly suppressive Rad-140. Why did I take it so infrequently? I was worried about too high a total Testosterone while taking a high-affinity SARM. Rad-140 will outcompete Testosterone for the Androgen Receptor, leading to higher free Testosterone levels, which may cause side effects such as Gynecomastia. However, I was pleased to report that I had no side effects. It would likely be more reasonable and safe to take 12.5mg of Enclomiphene every other day to push your score closer to 916ng/dL while still staying in a safe range that mitigates side effects. Then run a month of 12.5mg daily as a Post Cycle Therapy to boost your Testosterone back to normal production.
Other ideal compounds to mix for better results:
- Cardarine/GW0742: To keep fat low and improve cholesterol. See more about the differences and benefits here.
- MK-677 (Ibutamoren) to keep more permanent gains. A detailed post can be found here. I almost always pair this with any SARM cycle. You want to maximize two pathways, the Androgen Receptor and the Growth Hormone pathway, for ideal size and not just dense muscles. One side effect of this compound, however, is water retention. It will cause your scale to increase by at least 5 pounds of water, and will make you appear sloppier and less lean. This is temporary, and you can see in the transformation image that I get a little more "fluffy." Read more about the benefits and what to expect here.
Overall take and rating of the SARM Rad-140.
- Mental Benefits: C
- Side Effects: C
- Strength Gain: A+
- Visual effect on muscles: A+
Notes:
- Testosterone base (Enclomiphene) required
- MK-677 and Cardarine are ideal complements
TLDR:
Rad-140 (Testolone), a potent SARM, was administered in a 2-month cycle at 10mg daily, in conjunction with Clomiphene Citrate (25mg every 3rd day), to maintain Testosterone levels. Additionally, MK-677 (12.5-25mg daily, started halfway through) was used to boost growth hormone. Compared to Ostarine, Rad-140 delivers superior muscle mass (12-20 lbs, retaining ~12 lbs with proper post-cycle therapy, or PCT), as well as a hard, grainy look (A+ for strength and visuals). However, it may cause labored breathing due to weight gain, lower HDL cholesterol (which can be mitigated by Cardarine), and slight mental irritability. Enclomiphene is preferable over Clomiphene for safer Testosterone support. Pairing MK-677 enhances size but also causes temporary water retention. A proper PCT is crucial, and Rad-140 is intended for research use only, with its health impacts not yet fully understood.
Overall, I give this SARM a rating of:
Rating: B
Rad-140