Putting on lean muscle mass without the addition of fat is the goal of nearly every guy who picks up a weight. Most of them quickly discover that it’s no easy task.
That leads many of them to chemical supplements that promise to speed up their muscular bulk efforts.
SARMs are among the safest, most popular bulking agents on the market right now. In this article, we go deep into the best SARMs for Bulking, the best SARMs stack, and how to build your post cycle therapy as well.
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Key Takeaways
- The best SARMs for bulking are RAD 140, Ligandrol LGD 4033, and YK 11
- Some of the stronger SARMs do have side effects
- Before you stack SARMs, you need to know everything about them
Features | Testolone RAD 140 | Myostine YK-11 | Ostarine MK 2866 | LGD-4033 |
---|---|---|---|---|
🏃 Muscle strength | ✅️ | ✅️✅✅ | ✅️ | ✅️ |
💪💪 Bulking | ✅️✅️✅ | ✅️ | ✅️ | ✅️✅ |
⬇️ Fat Loss | ✅️ | Possible | ✅️ | ✅️ |
💪 muscle recovery | ✅️ | ✅ | ✅️ | ✅️ |
Strongest SARM | ✅️✅️ | ✅️✅️✅️ | ✅️ | ✅️ |
🦴🦴 Increases Bone Density | ✅️✅️ | ✅️ | Possible | ✅️ |
🚺 Best for women | ✅✅ | Possible | Possible | ✅✅✅ |
⚠️ Side Effects | Minimal | Mild to Moderate | Minimal | Minimal |
Aggression | Possible | ⬆️⬆️ | Possible | Possible |
🙎 For Beginners? | 🚫 | 🚫 | ✅️ | ✅️ |
💊 Dosage | 5-20 mg/day | 5-30 mg/day | 5-10 mg/day | 5 mg/day |
📉 Testosterone Suppression | Suppressive | Mild Suppression | Least Suppressive | Suppressive |
PCT | ✅️ | ✅️ | Likely | ✅️ |
💧 Water Retention | 🚫 | 🚫 | 🚫 | Slightly |
Comparison of the 4 Best SARMs for Bulking
SARMs stands for selective androgen receptor modulator. They work by binding to the androgen receptors in the human body, particularly the ones located in muscle mass and bone mass. SARMs are known to increase bone density, muscle mass, and can potentially also increase Growth Hormone.
SARMs will all act differently from one another. Using SARMs isn’t something to do without thinking, and stacking SARMs even less so. If you want to bulk, here are the best SARMs you can consider to build muscle.
Best SARM for Bulking – Testolone RAD 140
Testolone RAD 140 has been on the market for a little over ten years. Over that time it has established itself as a favorite bulking agent. RAD 140 was developed by a company called Radius Inc. to treat muscle-wasting diseases without the side effects that are inherent in the use of anabolic steroids.
When you take Testolone, it directly stimulates muscle cells and encourages the production of testosterone. It also boosts endurance, stamina, and speed. It is a stronger SARM, and while SARMs work ‘better’ than Steroids when considering sides, RAD 140 still has some sides you need to know of.
When considering your cycle length and dosage, you need to consider it will cause lower testosterone levels and therefore will require PCT supplements as well.
Testolone RAD 140
Testolone Rad 140 is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) that was created for the purpose of treating breast cancer and muscle wasting in postmenopausal women. It effectively enhances the body’s natural production of testosterone and also increases lean body mass.
Since it attaches selectively to androgen receptors, it does not carry the sort of side effects that come with anabolic steroids.
Testolone primarily increases lean muscle tissue by enhancing testosterone and human growth hormone as well as boosting other anabolic effects following intense weight training. It may also be able to increase training energy, endurance, and speed while working out.
Testolone is considered to be one of the best SARMs for muscle-building effects but it has also been shown to be effective in fat burning as well.
An initial study conducted on monkeys showed that the administration of Testolone increased their body weight by 10 percent after 28 days of use. Another similar study showed that the negative effects on the prostate and seminal vesicles were significantly reduced by taking Testolone along with synthetic testosterone.
Testolone RAD140 Overview
⭐️ Top Benefits: Muscle growth
🧪 Form: Liquid, Powder
⌛️ Cycle Length: 6 – 8 weeks
💰 Average Cost: $64.99
❤️🩹 Side Effects: Gyno and Androgenic Sides
☢️ Dangers: Do not abuse
📚 Best Stack: MK-677 / Cardarine / Testolone
🌡 PCT Required: Yes
⚤ Men/Women: Men
🔄 See Results
➡️ Go to the Full review
- A massive increase in lean muscle mass
- Potential fat loss
- Acne
- Other androgenic side effects
- Gyno
Best SARM for Strength – Myostine YK-11
YK-11, also known as Myostine, has the ability to inhibit the activity of myostatin, which is a protein that prevents muscle growth. All people have Myostatin, as it prevents our organs from growing too big.
That makes it an extremely powerful muscle and strength enhancer. YK-11 has a geometric structure that is very similar to anabolic steroids. Some people actually believe that it is a synthetic steroid that has been mislabeled as a SARM. It was first studied by a Japanese researcher by the name of Yuichiro Kanno in 2011.
While building muscle and strength is easy with YK 11 (some call it one of the best), it is known for causing severe side effects and will definitely need a post cycle therapy PCT. It can be used for cutting fat as long as you can manage the sides.
YK-11 Myostine
YK-11 is a selective androgen receptor modulator. As such, it is able to selectively attach to specific androgen receptors, rather than invading your body in a shotgun approach like anabolic steroids.
YK-11 is able to inhibit the activity of myostatin, which is a protein that prevents muscle growth. This makes it an effective compound to take during cutting as it will help to prevent muscle loss.
The protein myostatin impairs the body’s ability to build muscle and get stronger, whereas another protein follistatin promotes muscle and strength gains. When you take YK-11 you lessen the levels of myostatin and increase those of follistatin.
Studies have shown that people with a mutation that limits myostatin production are both more muscular and stronger than those with normal amounts. YK-11 may help to inhibit the levels of myostatin in muscles by attaching to the androgen receptor.
From there, it appears to induce muscle cells to create more follistatin, which in turn limits the levels of myostatin and allows for muscle growth beyond your genetic capability.
YK-11 Myostine Overview
⭐️ Top Benefits: Muscle growth, strength gain, fat loss
🧪 Form: Liquid, Powder
⌛️ Cycle Length: 4 – 8 weeks
💰 Average Cost: $59.99
❤️🩹 Side Effects: Headaches, nausea, testosterone suppression, and liver toxicity
☢️ Dangers: Hepatotoxicity
📚 Best Stack: MK-677 / Cardarine
PCT Required: Yes
🧍♂️🧍♀️Men/Women: Men
🔄 See Results
➡️ Go to the Full review
- Better recovery
- Improved fat loss
- Massive muscle gains
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Testosterone suppression
- Liver toxicity
Best Bulking SARM for Beginners – Ostarine MK 2866
Ostarine MK 2866 is generally regarded as the mildest SARM on the market. However, it still has the ability to significantly increase muscle mass while also reducing body fat levels. That makes it an especially good SARM for beginners to use on their first cycle.
Ostarine selectively works on muscle cells in the body. When attached to the androgen protein, it communicates the message for it to get bigger. Unlike some anabolic steroids, Ostarine does not convert to estrogen or DHT.
Ostarine MK 2866 is one of the safer SARMs for women, but you still need to be careful. There are better SARMs for sale for women to use – I would look at MK 677 perhaps. MK 677 can cause fat loss while also increasing muscle tissue, making it one of the best SARMs for bodybuilding.
Ostarine
Ostarine is an orally-active, non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM ).
It’s considered to be the best SARM for beginners and it is most commonly used during bulking and recomp phases.
In a 12-week double-blind placebo-controlled phase II clinical trial involving 120 healthy elderly men and postmenopausal women, ostarine was shown to significantly increase muscle issues, and improve physical function and insulin sensitivity. [4]
Ostarine selectively binds itself to proteins within the body that are called androgen receptors. When attached to the androgen protein, it communicates the message for it to get bigger.
Unlike anabolic steroids, Ostarine does not convert to estrogen or DHT. [5]
Ostarine is legal, but only for research purposes. It has not been approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and as a result, cannot be sold as a dietary supplement.
Ostarine MK-2866 Overview
⭐️ Top Benefits: Muscle growth, strength gain, fat loss
🧪 Form: Liquid, Powder
⌛️ Cycle Length: 6 – 7 weeks
💰 Average Cost: $54.99
❤️🩹 Side Effects: Stomach pain, headaches, cholesterol increase, liver strain, and hypertension
☢️ Dangers: Hepatotoxicity
📚 Best Stack: MK-677 / Cardarine / RAD 140
PCT Required: Yes
🧍♂️🧍♀️Men/Women: Men and Women (Lower dose)
🔄 See Results
➡️ Go to the Full review
- Better recovery
- Improved fat loss
- Massive muscle gains
- Stomach pain
- Headaches
- Liver toxicity
- Hypertension
- Cholesterol
Best Bulking SARM for Women – LGD-4033
LGD-4033 is a better option for women than RAD 140 because it is slightly milder. This compound is nonsteroidal, which means that it will not convert into estrogen. I suggest that women use half the dosage that men would use on a Ligandrol cycle. Women have a very sensitive endocrine system, so, as much as they want to build lean muscle, they need to be careful.
Sure, a selective androgen receptor modulator has fewer sides than Steroids, but they still interact with androgen receptors and can cause some damage within. That said, a good recommended SARMs stack for cutting (or muscle growth) would be LGD 4033 with MK 677.
Ligandrol LGD-4033
Ligandrol LGD-4033 is a selective androgenic receptor modulator (SARM) that was developed by Ligand Pharmaceuticals. It is primarily a mass-building SARM that was originally developed to treat muscle-wasting conditions.
Ligandrol is one of the best SARMs for increasing lean mass and it activates the muscle regeneration process after a workout. This SARM also increases both energy and strength.
Ligandrol can be stacked with a cutting SARM for weight loss in order to preserve muscle size while you are stripping off body fat.
In terms of weight loss, Ligandrol is able to attach to fat receptors and stimulate fat loss. It will boost the metabolism for faster calorie burning.
Ligandrol LGD-4033 Overview
⭐️ Top Benefits: Muscle growth, strength gain, fat loss
🧪 Form: Liquid, Powder
⌛️ Cycle Length: 6 – 10 weeks
💰 Average Cost: $59.99
❤️🩹 Side Effects: Aggression, acne, liver and kidney issues, and hypertension
☢️ Dangers: Hepatotoxicity, Renal toxicity
📚 Best Stack: MK-677 / Cardarine / RAD 140
PCT Required: Yes
🧍♂️🧍♀️Men/Women: Men
🔄 See Results
➡️ Go to the Full review
- Better recovery
- Improved fat loss
- Massive muscle gains
- Aggression
- Androgenic sides
- Liver and kidney toxicity
- Hypertension
Best SARMs Stack for Cutting
“Stack SARMs!” we hear exclaimed from our peers. Should we, should you? Before you do, you need to make sure about a few things. Have the best SARMs (check out our guide for the best SARMs vendors), clearly understand your goals, and be aware of the side effects.
You can stack SARMs and see some amazing results. You can build muscle, cut fat, increase bone density, and have a bunch of other benefits. But you can also use a triple stack and have multiple SARMs cause the same side effects…
That said, cutting bulking, whatever you wanna achieve, it can be done. Here are some ideas for stacking SARMs (Keep in mind that you still need to do research about these SARMs as individuals):
- MK677 with Ligandrol
- MK677, Ligandrol, and Cardarine
- MK677, Ligandrol, and Ostarine
- MK677, Ligandrol, Ostarine, and Cardarine (Be careful, this is not a long term idea, maybe a 8 week cycle)
Best SARMs for Bulking
SARMs are generally classified for bulking, fat loss, or recomp, which involves gaining lean muscle mass while losing fat at the same time. All SARMs will provide both lean muscle gain and fat loss results to a certain degree. Yet, the four SARMs we have highlighted:
Again, keep in mind any SARM can be used for any goal. As long as your diet and training is in check, using SARMs will support most goals. Some might be better for fat loss, like Cardarine GW 501516.
Most SARMs will also require a PCT supplement, as they will lower your testosterone levels. The best overall SARM that does not do this is MK 677, it will only increase Growth Hormone (good for cutting and bulking) without affecting the endocrine system at all.
Bulking SARMs Cycle
When using the best SARMs for bodybuilding you will be making use of a ‘cycle’, a nomenclature used to describe everything you use and the time you use it. Shorter cycles (8 weeks) are better for beginners, as 8 weeks isn’t likely to cause you too severe sides.
A longer cycle length should be reserved for more experienced lifters as using SARMs for that long is sure to cause more sides.
The more severe and long your cycle is, the more likely you are to suppress Testosterone levels as well as need a PCT supplement. You will also need to use health medication while on cycle to combat the sides like high cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.
Best SARMs for Bodybuilding
What you have to understand is that the best SARMs for bulking might actually work for all goals. SARMs were developed to work against muscle wasting, meaning that if you combine them with enough food, training, and rest, that even “SARMs for cutting” can be used for muscle-building reasons.
All SARMs will increase lean muscle, perhaps not directly, but even as a placebo. Most guys hopping on something immediately believe they’re better or stronger, meaning they train, eat, and sleep more.
This will cause anyone to grow muscle (and maybe see fat loss), so, even the “best SARMs stack” can be used for cutting and bulking. Make sure your diet and training reflect your goals. The type of SARM has less of an effect than you might believe.
The only things to consider are sides, like water retention. Water retention can lead to you looking watery which isn’t great when your goal is to cut fat. Another thing about water retention is that it increases blood pressure.
Muscle gain will happen with all SARMs. Control your body fat, estrogen levels, and blood pressure, and you should be good.
Bulking with SARMs Side Effects
SARMs may produce mild side effects depending on the constitution of the user. These may include nausea, bloating, headaches, and gas.
The most serious side effect that has been noted with regard to any SARM relates to Andarine S4. People who take more than 50 mg per day of S4 may experience a yellowish tinting of their vision, as well as trouble adjusting to light and darkness.
Another effect of SARMs use may be suppression of the body’s natural production of testosterone. This effect, however, is far less than you will get with either steroids or prohormones. Even so, I recommend doing a course of PCT after every cycle.
After you cycle SARMs and before you use them again (especially if you stack SARMs) make sure you do blood work.
Bulking SARMs PCT
PCT stands for post cycle therapy. When you take any compound that affects testosterone, your body’s natural production of that hormone may be negatively affected. PCT is used to bring that natural production back to its pre cycle level.
When you take a SARM, your testosterone suppression will be less than if you were to take anabolic steroids or prohormones, However, there will still be a minor suppressive effect.
When considering your PCT, you should use the PCT supplement known as Tamoxifen or Nolvadex. This will increase natural testosterone levels while also blocking Estrogen at the nipples. If your cycle was really severe, you might also want to look at Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
Not all SARMs will require a PCT. MK 677 for instance, does not. MK 677 increases growth hormone and has nothing to do with testosterone levels at all.
Bulking SARMs Results
SARMs will provide you with some pretty impressive bulking results. However, this won’t happen automatically. You will also need to be training intensely in the gym, pushing constantly to increase the weight that you are using.
In addition, you will need to be increasing your caloric intake by around 500 calories beyond your maintenance level. Concentrate on lean proteins at a rate of 1 gram per pound of body weight.
The results you get will also depend on cycle length and intensity. A 4 week cycle will not be as effective as an 8 week cycle, etc. That said, a 20 week cycle might be great for building muscle, but also exceptional for giving you side effects.
One more thing to consider is that the more lean mass you have, the more SARMs you have to use, and the harder it will be to increase lean muscle mass.
Where to Buy SARMs (Bodybuilding)
SARMs can be purchased legally in almost every country around the world (the exception is Australia). However, they can only be sold as research tools.
As a result, there are many online retailers who know that their target market is bodybuilders. Because of the law, however, they do not promote their SARMs as bodybuilding supplements. Instead, they present them dryly without any of the promotion that you would expect to see on a bodybuilding supplement website.
SARMs can only be purchased as a ‘research chemical’ and ‘not for human use’. Thus, make sure that your retailer uses those terms. One of the best retailers we can recommend is Sports Technology Labs.
They stock everything from MK 2866 to Ligandrol LGD 4033. All their batches are tested, they are reasonably priced, and they have a bunch of good reviews online.
Take-Home Message
If you are serious about bulking up, selective androgen receptor modulators will get you there faster and more safely. However, you should not take SARMs until you are beyond puberty and have at least a year’s worth of serious training under your belt. Before that time, your natural testosterone production and muscle-building potential are still developing.
SARMs work, but you have to make sure that you are also training hard and that you’re eating at least 500 more calories per day than your maintenance level with an emphasis on lean protein. Do these things, and you can expect to pack on between 5 and 15 pounds of lean mass bulk on your first SARMs cycle.