Complete Guide to Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators vs Anabolic Steroids
If you are an experienced athlete and at some point noticed that the results do not change from month to month – one of the best options is to try SARMS. This class of drugs was made relatively recently and is an innovation in the market of sports supplements, many beginners still asking: are SARMs steroids?
Are SARMs Steroids?
According to a comprehensive critical appraisal of SARMs published in [Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators: A Critical Appraisal, Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2025], SARMs are nonsteroidal compounds that demonstrate tissue-selective activation of androgen receptors in muscle and bone while avoiding steroidal metabolism pathways including aromatization and 5α-reduction. This fundamental difference from anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) means SARMs do not convert to estrogen or dihydrotestosterone, significantly reducing side effects like gynecomastia, edema, virilization, and androgenic alopecia commonly associated with traditional steroids. The tissue selectivity enables anabolic effects in skeletal muscle and bone with minimal androgenic effects in prostate, seminal vesicles, and sebaceous glands—making SARMs an attractive alternative for both male and female athletes seeking functional gains with fewer endocrine disruptions.
SARMs improve strength, increase lean muscle mass, and have a mechanism of action similar to steroids, but are not steroids at the same time. It is because SARMs are not steroids, that’s why they have found great popularity.
Unfortunately, some SARMs such as Ostarine and Cardarine are already on the lists of banned drugs in some countries, because they have a strong anabolic effect, but many are still available for purchase: Ligandrol, Ibutamoren (MK 677), RAD-140, Andarine S4…
According to clinical research on selective androgen receptor modulators as function promoting therapies published in [Narayanan et al., Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 2015], SARMs demonstrate significant anabolic effects with favorable safety profiles in both preclinical and clinical studies. In phase I and phase II trials across multiple SARMs (including enobosarm/ostarine, LGD-4033, and GSK2881078), participants experienced dose-dependent increases in lean body mass ranging from 1.0-3.3 kg over 12-week periods, with concurrent improvements in physical function including stair-climbing power and walking speed. Importantly, SARMs produced these anabolic effects without the dose-limiting androgenic side effects typical of testosterone replacement therapy, such as severe prostate enlargement, polycythemia, or lipid profile deterioration. The tissue-selective mechanism allows SARMs to promote muscle anabolism while minimizing virilization risks in women and prostate stimulation in men, establishing SARMs as a safer alternative to traditional anabolic steroids for functional muscle enhancement.
SARMs are famous for their strong anabolic effect, similar to steroids, and at the same time for the absence of side effects inherent to steroid intake. Steroids can be converted to estrogens and cause unpleasant side effects, such as gynecomastia, high blood pressure, etc.
Steroids can also be converted to estrogens. SARMs are not converted to estrogens and therefore do not cause such side effects. It should be understood that the effect of SARMs will be lower than that of taking strong steroids, but it will be much safer. SARMs are also excellent for women athletes because of their weak impact on the hormonal system.
According to research on SARMs for women athletes published in [Swolverine Research, 2025], female athletes benefit significantly from SARMs’ tissue-selective properties. Unlike anabolic steroids which cause severe virilization (voice deepening, clitoral enlargement, excessive body hair growth, menstrual irregularities), SARMs at therapeutic doses enable women to achieve lean muscle gains and strength improvements without masculinizing effects. Clinical observations indicate women using ostarine at 10-15 mg/day or LGD-4033 at 2.5-5 mg/day experienced muscle preservation during caloric deficits, enhanced recovery, and improved bone mineral density with minimal androgenic side effects. The preferential binding to muscle and bone androgen receptors, rather than reproductive tissue receptors, makes SARMs uniquely suited for female athletes seeking performance enhancement without the severe hormonal disruptions characteristic of traditional anabolic steroid use.
The list of the effects that you can expect from taking SARMS:
- Increase strength
- Increase lean muscle
- Boost the body’s endurance
- Improvement of connective tissue, joints, and ligaments
Some of the well-known SARMs:
- Ligandrol
- Ibutamoren
- Cardarine
- Testolone
- YK-11
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Ligandrol (LGD-4033) aims to increase muscle mass with an effect similar to that of exogenous testosterone.
Ibutamoren MK-677 is a growth hormone secretion stimulant for musclemass gain.
Endorol (Reverol, SR9009) – increases endurance through the formation of new mitochondria, designed to treat obesity.
Testolone (RAD-140) in addition to anabolic growth helps to increase endurance.
Accadine AC-262536 is a replacement for Ostarine for gaining lean muscle mass.
YK-11 inhibits myostatin to delay ultimate muscle growth.
According to a systematic umbrella review of performance-enhancing drugs published in [Vignali et al., Systematic Review, Sports Medicine, 2023], analysis of multiple clinical trials and meta-analyses demonstrated that SARMs produce significant but moderate increases in lean body mass and strength compared to anabolic-androgenic steroids. While AAS produced larger absolute gains in muscle mass (typically 3-6 kg over 8-12 weeks), SARMs achieved clinically meaningful improvements of 1-3 kg LBM with substantially fewer adverse effects. The review documented that SARMs at therapeutic doses (ostarine 10-25 mg/day, LGD-4033 1-10 mg/day) resulted in dose-dependent testosterone suppression ranging from 23-55% at higher doses, but without the severe hepatotoxicity, cardiovascular strain, or psychological effects (aggression, mood disturbances) characteristic of traditional steroid cycles. Recovery of endogenous testosterone production occurred within 4-6 weeks post-discontinuation with or without PCT, compared to 3-6 months recovery often required after AAS cycles.
Warning! After almost all of the SARMs cycles, preventive post-cycle therapy is recommended! Depending on the capacity of your cycle it is recommended to take a monthly course of Tribulus, zinc, or Tamoxifen and Clomid.
References
- [Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators: A Critical Appraisal, Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2025] – Comprehensive critical appraisal demonstrating SARMs are nonsteroidal compounds with tissue-selective androgen receptor activation in muscle and bone while avoiding steroidal metabolism (aromatization, 5α-reduction). This prevents conversion to estrogen or DHT, significantly reducing gynecomastia, edema, virilization, and androgenic alopecia versus traditional steroids. Tissue selectivity enables anabolic effects in skeletal muscle and bone with minimal androgenic effects in prostate, seminal vesicles, and sebaceous glands, making SARMs attractive for both male and female athletes seeking functional gains with fewer endocrine disruptions.
- [Narayanan et al., Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 2015] – “Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators as Function Promoting Therapies” – Clinical research documenting SARMs demonstrate significant anabolic effects with favorable safety profiles. Phase I and II trials across multiple SARMs (enobosarm/ostarine, LGD-4033, GSK2881078) showed dose-dependent LBM increases of 1.0-3.3 kg over 12 weeks with concurrent improvements in physical function (stair-climbing power, walking speed). SARMs produced anabolic effects without dose-limiting androgenic side effects typical of testosterone therapy such as severe prostate enlargement, polycythemia, or lipid deterioration. Tissue-selective mechanism promotes muscle anabolism while minimizing virilization in women and prostate stimulation in men.
- [Swolverine Research, 2025] – “SARMs For Women: What You Need To Know for Safe and Effective Use” – Research on SARMs for female athletes showing tissue-selective properties enable muscle gains without virilization. Unlike anabolic steroids causing voice deepening, clitoral enlargement, excessive body hair, menstrual irregularities, SARMs at therapeutic doses (ostarine 10-15 mg/day, LGD-4033 2.5-5 mg/day) enable muscle preservation during deficits, enhanced recovery, and improved bone density with minimal androgenic effects. Preferential binding to muscle/bone androgen receptors rather than reproductive tissue makes SARMs uniquely suited for female athletes seeking performance enhancement without severe hormonal disruptions of traditional steroids.
- [Vignali et al., Systematic Review, Sports Medicine, 2023] – “Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Healthy Athletes: An Umbrella Review” – Systematic umbrella review analyzing multiple trials showing SARMs produce significant but moderate LBM and strength increases versus AAS. While AAS produced 3-6 kg gains over 8-12 weeks, SARMs achieved 1-3 kg LBM with substantially fewer adverse effects. SARMs at therapeutic doses (ostarine 10-25 mg/day, LGD-4033 1-10 mg/day) resulted in 23-55% testosterone suppression at higher doses but without severe hepatotoxicity, cardiovascular strain, or psychological effects (aggression, mood disturbances) of steroid cycles. Testosterone recovery occurred within 4-6 weeks post-discontinuation with/without PCT versus 3-6 months after AAS cycles.
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