The growing use of SARMs in the UK

SARMs are performance-enhancing drugs discovered in the late 1990s which are seeing a substantial rise in use among bodybuilders and athletes - and for obvious reasons. Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) are a class of therapeutic compounds; each SARM has slightly different effects, but to various extents they all promote muscle growth, shedding body fat, and bone density - as well as aiding post-workout recovery

Because of their selective action on the androgen receptor, SARMs have many of the same effects as steroids without the same side effects. Overall, it's no wonder they're increasingly popular among bodybuilders across the North East - but they may not be the right choice for everyone.

World Anti-Doping Agency and SARMs
Due to their known ability to promote muscle growth as well as improve athletic performance, SARMs are used by atheletes such as bodybuilders who want to improve their lean muscle mass, strength, and stamina. SARMs effectiveness is further confirmed by the fact they have been banned from competitive sports by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), meaning they shouldn't be taken by any kind of professional athelete.

Team GB found out as much the hard way when British athlete Chijindu Ujah tested positive for two SARMs - MK-2866 and S-23 - following his participation in the men's 4x100m relay race at the Tokyo 2020 race. As a result, Ujah and his three teammates were promptly stripped of the silver medal they had won after narrowly losing the race to Italys team. Its worth noting that Ujah was later found to have ingested SARMs unknowingly through some supplements that were purchased via a general online marketplace.

A statement from the British Olympic Association read, On behalf of everyone in British sport we unreservedly apologise to the athletes whose moment was lost in Tokyo due to the actions of Ujah. We are also disappointed for the three colleagues of Ujah who, through no fault of their own, will now lose their silver medals.

It follows that SARMs should not be taken by professional athletes taking part in competitions, as the consequences on their careers may be dire. This includes bodybuilders, as the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) is a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC). Anybody taking part in a competition should be aware of the fact that testing positive for SARMs is certain to lead to disqualification and perhaps even a ban.

SARMs and amateurs
Research published in 2022 reveals that a 2021 online based randomised response technique (RRT) survey found that 2.7% of male gym-goers in the Netherlands have used SARMs specifically. The real figure is likely higher than these results suggest, as usage is commonly under-reported.

Analysis of social media trends suggests just that, SARMs usage is growing. Google trends analytics for the term SARMs suggest that SARMs search interest is at an all-time high, the study added. A keyword search for SARMs on the trending social media platform, TikTok, produced numerous videos totaling more than 115 million views on June 2nd, 2021. This represents a more than 50% month-to-month growth from the 67.7 million views observed on May 2nd, 2021.

There is no doubt that SARMs are growing in popularity. There is a growing body of research which supports the increased safety of SARMs compared to anabolic steroids. This however highlights the need for better information on SARMs, so that users can make informed choices backed the most recent scientific evidence.

Buying from specialised ethical sellers like SARMS UK guarantees that buyers know exactly what they're getting - unlike Chijindu Ujah, who was unlucky enough to lose an Olympic medal over one ill-advised purchase online.