pSARM

HORMONES

We have two central sex hormones in action in the human body, the primarily masculine hormone – Testosterone and the primarily feminine hormone – Estrogen (also spelt Oestrogen). Both these hormones are present in men and women but the varying levels mean some very different physiological and psychological differences between the sexes and individuals.

Testosterone is an anabolic androgen - Anabolic meaning tissue building (promotion of bone and muscle tissue) and androgen meaning enhancing masculine characteristics (enhanced sex drive, body hair growth, aggression etc).

The hormone itself reacts by attaching to receptor sites throughout the body, in different tissues to exert its effects, often by converting to other substances or causing a cascade effect in other biological systems.

SERMs, SARMs and STEROIDS

You may have heard the term SERM before. It stands for Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator. These compounds include drugs such as Tamoxifen Citrate (Nolvadex) and Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid). These compounds do not directly affect the production or existence of Estrogen in the body but can regulate the actual receptor sites in various tissues. As these can be chosen for their preference in adhering to certain tissues they can be designed for specific purposes. Tamoxifen Citrate (Nolvadex) has a high prevalence for activity in breast tissue so is commonly used as a treatment or preventative for breast cancer tumours. Clomiphene Citrate is regularly used to help induce ovulation in women seeking pregnancy.

SERMs are also used by bodybuilders and athletes who are using pro hormones or steroids. These compounds can often suppress natural testosterone production and cause excessive amounts of estrogen to be produced in males. Using a SERM can help limit the problems of estrogen overload and simultaneously help stimulate natural testosterone during the PCT (post cycle therapy) stage of a pro hormone or steroid cycle.

Phyto-SERM is the term used for a plant derived SERM and these are naturally occurring alternatives to the synthetic compounds often used.

Steroids and pro hormones are used for a variety of both medical and sport related purposes. The anabolic and androgenic effect of these compounds means users can avoid muscle loss, increase new muscle tissue and lose body fat. Unfortunately the use of these compounds often cause major androgenic side affects such as alterations in sex drive, acne, androgen related hair loss, prostate problems and severe changes in cholesterol rates which can lead to inflammation and heart problems. Oral steroids and certain pro hormones can also be methylated to ensure they pass through the liver and this can put extra stress on this vital organ.

In women these effects are even more pronounced and can cause irreparable virilisation (such as beard growth, clitoral enlargement and breaking voices).

For many the positive effects of steroid or pro hormone use are outweighed by the complicated and numerous side affects of the androgen working in tissues that are not the primary target of the use. This scatter-gun approach has led to both medical researchers and supplement designers to look for a fresh alternative.

The advent of SARMs offers some hope. SARM standing for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators as a nod to the SERM terminology. These compounds are novel androgen receptor ligands and show a great deal more selectivity in their operation than anabolic steroids or pro hormone compounds. Generally most uses of androgens are concerned with affecting bone and muscle tissues, either to avoid bone density losses or muscle wasting in ill patients or enhancing these qualities in male athletes. Although the 1st generation SARMs designed so far do not yet show a 100% activity selection in these target tissues they are a vast improvement over the use of steroids and show a huge advantage for women especially. As they are not methylated compounds both their liver toxicity is removed and safety vastly improved.

Unlike steroids or pro hormones these new compounds affect the androgen receptors directly without altering the production of natural hormone levels in the body. Currently most steroids similar to testosterone show roughly a 1:1 ratio of anabolic to androgenic effects, whereas the new SARMs show anything from a 3:1 up to a 10:1 ratio, obviously a clear indication that side affects are greatly avoided, while the primary effect is not limited.

Anadrine and Ostarine are two manufacturer named 1st generation SARMs. Many others are currently under development however and each, like their older SERM counterparts, show slightly more effect in different target areas. Research continues into these compounds and it is without doubt that these will eventually come to replace the use of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids in most medical uses in the future.

The question has currently remained whether bodybuilders and other athletes could gain access to these compounds and make use of them. Many have been eager given the promise of direct muscle and strength gains without the problems of oral toxicity, hair loss, natural testosterone suppression and an excess of acne or hair loss. Unfortunately, for the foreseeable future these experimental compounds are both prescription only or in research phase and would be exorbitantly expensive.

Given their experience with locating phyto-SERMs however the supplement industry researchers of cutting edge companies knew that there was, given some hard work, likely to be a plant-derivable source of a compound that would act like a medical SARM.

Luckily they were able to find and compare various extracts that so closely matched a SARM molecule to the chemical structure of testosterone that it seemed feasible to produce this en masse. An herbal extract is quite different to using a raw herb of course. This is not a case of simply finding a plant that can be eaten to produce a drug-like effect but it relies on deciphering the active part of the chemical structure and extracting that at a very high purity, isolating this and allowing it to have a drug like effect in the body.

Two of the most exciting compounds for the pSARM effect are Osthole – a compound derived from isolated extracts from the herb Cnidium and certain extracts from the herb Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis. These two extracts, at a high enough extract standardisation have shown both in vitro and real life test subjects to act as a pSARM as well as having other anabolic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Combining these two extracts with a variety of natural pSERM and other adaptogens and other performance enhancing compounds has allowed at least one company, LG Sciences, to produce a genuine pSARM product.

Use and Effects of pSARM

The pSARM product has shown ample activity in the receptor target sites in muscle tissues and enhanced bone density but without negative attachment to prostate or hair-loss related androgen receptors. This offers the prospect of naturally enhanced muscle growth and strength building without the side effects common with steroids or pro hormone cycling. As the receptor sites themselves are targeted rather than the production of actual hormones, the use of pSARM will have very little suppressive effect on natural levels of testosterone. This means there will not be any need to use PCT after using pSARM, although swapping to a short burst of a product such as Formadrol or T-911 will give the body a break and enhance results through a different method. In fact if not used simply as a direct alternative to steroids or pro hormones, pSARM can be used alongside PCT to ensure growth gains can be continued through a different mechanism. This offers the prospect of year round enhanced growth and recovery with much better long term health and without the problems of hair loss, gyno or other unpleasant side affects.

pSARM can be used permanently, however most people will find that using it for extended cycles will offer the best benefit between cost and results. pSARM can be used as a standalone product to enhance muscle growth in a purely natural fashion, alongside a steroid or pro hormone cycle to speed up results or during PCT to ensure gains do not vanish during this stressful period.

It is advisable to use pSARM in cycles of up to 12 weeks to get maximum benefit from the product. Although results will be enhanced over natural training you are unlikely to see huge steroid like gains overnight. pSARM is more subtle and the effect will build up over time, showing an increase in recovery the longer it used and a safe accumulation of new mass and lower fat storage.

pSARM dosage is dependent on your natural reaction to the extracts included and your overall size. Every individual metabolism reacts to extracts differently so it is necessary to see how much is required to give you best results. Unlike steroids or pro hormones however, you will not see alterations in sex drive, fat or water retention or other androgen related side affects so you will have to rely directly on muscle gain to find the best range for you. The ideal dose tends to be around 4 to 6 capsules per day, it is important to divide these up throughout the day to ensure best effect. Taking the entire dose in one is likely to reduce results as your body clears blood serum levels too quickly.

In order to ensure the pSARM extracts are absorbed and utilised correctly by the body it is vital to take the product with food, preferably your largest meals. Due to the content of stimulants in the product which activate it, taking pSARM on an empty stomach is likely to cause nausea or other unpleasant side affects. You can avoid this by ensuring you drink plenty of fluids and taking the product with major meals.

Although many people assume that a variety of plant extracts cannot possibly be as powerful as a synthetic drug it is important to remember that virtually all drugs, from the simplest to the most complex compounds begin life as plant extracts. pSARM can exert a very profound effect on your body and while very safe compared to steroids or harsh pro hormones, it is still vital to treat the effects with respect and carefully monitor results and alterations in your body response. As with any new product that can affect profound changes in your physiological responses it is essential that you build up the dosage slowly. Begin with a maximum of one capsule a day to assess tolerance and allow your body to adjust to this over several days. Increase the dosage every few four to five days until you reach a maximum somewhere between 4 and 6 capsules.

Skipping this build up stage can cause unwanted side effects and it is important to allow your system to ease into the extreme functioning of this powerful and novel anabolic booster.

Remember that in order to best digest and utilise the product it should only ever be taken with food. Larger meals, preferably containing some form of fat or essential fatty acid supplement will improve uptake of any androgen related supplement so bear this in mind when scheduling your daily food intake and pSARM regimen.

What you can expect

pSARM will not be a direct and total replacement for a hardcore stack of anabolic steroids and/or pro hormones. What it will provide is a totally safe, highly targeted, side affect free way to enhance your body’s ability to synthesize anabolic compounds, utilise protein, speed up muscle growth, push muscle growth past natural gain limitations and enhance strength and explosive power.

Unlike steroids or pro hormones you can expect no adverse problems with prostate, hair loss, acne or other androgen non-specific compounds. You can similarly avoid estrogen related conversion problems and problems such as gyno, water retention and feminine fat gain.

Used in regular cycles throughout the year you can easily expect to gain several pounds more of lean muscle tissue over even a perfect diet and exercise programme alone. And without the problems of major PCT protocols and down times, this is muscle that you can easily keep hold of and continue to improve upon. Unlike steroids and pro hormones you will not see a major deregulation in effectiveness with pSARM. Essentially your fifth cycle with it will produce the same positive effects as the first.

pSARM can also effectively be put to use during hardcore fat loss cycles during low carb and low calorie dieting. Very often while shedding fat, some muscle can be lost in the stress of training with very tightly controlled calories, another reason many bodybuilders and athletes turn to steroids and pro hormones, to keep hold of their hard earned muscle tissue. However with pSARM you can have a targeted anabolic effect on muscle tissue without interfering with fat loss, making it an ideal compound to help keep virtually all of your muscle and still shred unsightly and unhealthy body fat.

In the long run pSARM will allow you to remain at peak health and still experience the benefits of potent anabolic support. No hormone fluctuations. No dangerous side affects. No toxic stress. Just a body that works better at adding muscle.