Most of us know that using steroids to enhance athletic performance is a bad idea. While their use may increase muscle mass, it comes with myriad health risks, not to mention the possibility of an athlete being banished from a sports competition. But what if there were a drug that could help you gain muscle and strength without the downsides of steroids? Some people think a category of drugs called selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) might fulfill that role. So what exactly are
SARMs, and can they safely improve athletic performance?
SARMs are not anabolic steroids; rather, they are a class of drugs with synthetic ligands that bind to androgen receptors. They were discovered in the late 1990s and, like steroids, they enhance performance because they stimulate anabolism (they increase muscle mass and strength) and facilitate recovery from exercise, which is especially important for athletes in competition.
Whether or not SARMs are acceptable or legal depends on what they are used for. It is legal to sell and buy SARMs marketed simply as research chemicals. It is illegal, though, to sell and buy them in capsules for human consumption or labeled as dietary supplements or both. And sports regulators, such as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), have banned them.
