SARMs (selective androgen receptor modulators) promote muscle and bone growth. People have also reported various other associated health benefits that are especially appreciated in bodybuilding circles. Yet, the medical community is also fascinated by the potential of the substance too.
Ostarine was one of the earliest SARMs available on the market. Scientists have conducted more testing with this specific SARM than many others available right now.
In this guide, we will take a look at a list of Ostarine benefits. Plus, we’ll discuss how to get Ostarine and how to take it.
We’ll also look at which SARM products you might want to stack with Ostarine for improved lean muscle gain, increased bone density, and fat loss. Let’s now take a deeper look into what Ostarine is all about.
The Development of SARMs and Ostarine
The first modern non-steroidal SARM was found accidentally by a scientist called James T. Dalton. He was carrying out experiments concerning prostate cancer but then came across the molecule Andarine. Andarine did not show to be a good cancer-fighting molecule, yet it proved to promote muscle growth in quite an incredible way.
Dalton’s discovery led to many scientists focusing on SARMs and their influence on the body. It was Dalton who created Ostarine years down the line.
Ostarine is a SARM that people can take orally. Dalton and Gtx, Inc. developed the substance in the 90s with the aim of treating osteoporosis and muscle wasting in patients. Ostarine is the most clinically related SARM we have seen so far.
The developers of Ostarine held a 12-week trial to see its results on fat burning and muscle growth. The older men who were partaking in the trial did see significant muscle gains, fat loss, and were able to climb stairs much better than before the 12-week trial.
How Ostarine Works
Ostarine also goes by its research name, MK-2866 or Enobosarm. It works by selectively modulating androgen receptors in a way where you see such benefits as increased lean muscle mass and fat loss.
MK-2866 is different from anabolic steroids in that it selectively modulates androgen receptors. Anabolic steroids do modulate these receptors but also others (the result being various unwanted side effects). The selective element in SARMs like Ostarine mean they a preferable to bodybuilders who do not want certain side effects from anabolic steroids, such as hair loss and a higher risk of prostate cancer.
A Deeper understanding of the Process
To explain the process further, we should explain that androgen receptors are proteins. Ostarine attaches to these proteins and begins to alter your genes in a way that allows your body to have more efficient protein synthesis.
When you can synthesize protein better in this way, your body can start creating more lean muscle mass than before. And for this reason, you may refer to Ostarine as an anabolic SARM.
Ostarine for Bulking
If you want to bulk in a traditional sense without the use of body-enhancing drugs, you’re going to put on fat along with any muscle gains you make. This is because you eat a lot of food, and your body may not be able to synthesize all this food into lean muscle.
When you take Ostarine, an anabolic SARM, you enable your body to build much more lean muscle mass on a cycle of, say, 6-8-weeks. In such a cycle, you can expect to achieve gains of between 5 and 7 pounds of muscle or more! Yet, if you overuse Ostarine, you can expect unwanted side effects, some of which may look and feel similar to ones associated with anabolic steroid use.
After a 6-8 week cycle, it’s a good idea to go on a PCT cycle. This is because when you stop taking Ostarine, you can experience testosterone suppression in the body.
A common way that bodybuilders and gym-goers bulk with Ostarine are to start with 10 mg per day for the first week (a full 7 days). Then, for the remaining 7 weeks, they might bump up the dosage to 20 mg per day to promote better gains.
Cutting with Ostarine
People also use Ostarine for a cutting phase as well as bulking. While you would still use similar dosages as you would when bulking for the cutting phase, the main difference is diet.
When you cut with Ostarine, you have to lower your calorie intake. But unlike conventional cutting without the use of drugs, when you use Ostarine, you can maintain muscle mass and strength when you are experiencing the calorie deficits associated with a cutting phase.
So really, an ultimate way to get results from Ostarine is to build muscle mass while keeping your body lean at the same time. The idea is you would have less of a need for bulking and cutting in two separate phases. Nevertheless, whatever approach you choose with Ostarine, it’s important to maintain a nutrient-rich high-quality protein-heavy diet throughout.
When to Take Ostarine
The standard approach to take Ostarine, like most other SARMs, is every 24 hours for however long your cycle goes on in weeks. It doesn’t really matter when you take your dosage during the day.
However, some believe it is best to avoid taking it right before or during a workout. The reason for this maybe is because SARMs aren’t the tastiest of substances out there, and so taking them during or before you exercise may put you in a less motivated mood to work out so well.
Most agree that either taking it after your workout or in the morning is the best time to take SARMs like Ostarine. Taking Ostarine before bed might not be a good idea because some people have reported mild sleep issues when taking it.
Since the half-life of Ostarine is 24 hours, if you want to avoid it impacting your sleep so much, we recommend you take it in the morning. This way, by the time you’re ready for bed, the amount of Ostarine in your system will be very little.
How to Take Ostarine in Liquid Form
Because SARMs are not FDA-Parroved substances to sell for human consumption, many of them are marketed as “research chemicals” or with other similar phrases. Also, many SARMs are sold in liquid form so that sellers can market them in a format for “research purposes.”
SARMs such as Ostarine begin their life in powder form. To change Ostarine and other SARMs into liquid form, manufacturers need to use solvents (alcohol) to dissolve them. The result is that some SARMs have a very poignant taste that some people can’t handle.
Luckily enough, Ostarine is one of the more palatable SARMs on the market today. It has more of a sugary taste than other options, but the taste can still linger for a time. Because of the lingering taste, many users of Ostarine will have a couple of chasers to hand to drink straight after they’ve taken their dose.
In the morning, some good ideas for chasers might be orange juice, grapefruit juice, a smoothie, or coffee. You might even want a combination of these drinks to rid the SARM taste from your mouth. If you choose to take Ostarine post-workout, it makes sense to have your protein shake ready as a chaser.
Taking Ostarine Sublingually
One method that might maximize your Ostarine absorption is to take it sublingually. All this means is that you pour the liquid under your tongue and leave it there for a time to absorb.
A good timeframe to leave it beneath your tongue could be anywhere between 10-40 seconds. The longer you leave it there, the more of it you will absorb directly into your bloodstream. Any remaining Ostarine you can just swallow.
Ostarine Stacks
We’ll now look into stacks that you can consider for various bodybuilding purposes. These purposes include stacking for:
- Bulking
- Cutting
- Strength
Here you can buy SARMs that we mention in this stack guide. We recommend this online seller because they have an excellent reputation in the SARMs world.
Before we venture into the different stacks, it’s important to know that you should never try to do more than an 8-week cycle with SARMs and SARMs stacks. The reason is that the testosterone suppression you might experience for doing an elongated cycle won’t be pleasant, and it will ruin all your hard work.
Plus, since Ostarine does bring on testosterone suppression after a cycle, it’s not wise to pair it in stacks with other SARMs that have a similar or more powerful post-cycle testosterone suppression effect. So with these things in mind, let’s look at some stacks!
Ostarine Stack for Bulking
If you are a beginner with SARMs, then a good starter stack to check out is Ostarine combined with Ibutamoren (MK-677). We already know that Ostarine promotes lean muscle growth; the MK-677 will increase your appetite, making it easier to bulk throughout your cycle.
MK-677 will also enhance your muscle growth because it targets your human growth hormone and IGF-1 receptors. And because it only targets these receptors, you get no testosterone suppression from taking Ibutamoren after your cycle. Although, you still should consider doing a PCT because you will get testosterone suppression from taking Ostarine for 8 weeks.
Typical dosages for this kind of stack might be 15 mg of Ostarine and 15 mg of Ibutamoren per day for 8 weeks. However, since Ibutamoren takes longer to enter your system, you may want to extend the time you take it to up to 16 weeks.
Some people choose to do the 16 weeks of Ibutamoren and skip using any other drugs for PCT from the Ostarine. This is because Ibutamoren can work as a mild PCT, which for some is good enough to deal with the after-effects of Ostarine.
Ostarine Stack for Cutting
A good stack for cutting is Cardarine and Ostarine. By taking Ostarine, you’ll ensure you don’t lose all of that muscle mass you’ve developed already. Cardarine is great for endurance, meaning you’ll be able to do longer cardio and HIIT workouts to make your cutting phase count.
If your goal is to lose fat and you’re a beginner with SARMs, we recommend you use a 10 mg of Cardarine and 8 mg of Ostarine per day stack for an 8-week cycle. Of course, you can research more into a stack that might suit your particular needs best.
Since Cardarine isn’t a SARM (doesn’t interfere with your androgen receptors), it won’t cause any testosterone suppression post-cycle. Some people opt for a PCT after this stack, while others skip it. The best way to really know is to get your hormones checked post-cycle.
Ostarine Stack for Strength
A decent stack for strength is Ostarine combined with Ligandrol (LGD 4033). This stack will ignite the power within you and you’ll start to see power and strength gains week after week when you’re on an 8-week cycle of this stack.
To ensure you keep some of the strength gains, you make after this cycle; you need to keep your training intensity for weeks after. Also, be aware that Ligandrol is a more powerful testosterone suppressant than Ostarine, so you will need to do a proper PCT to manage your hormones afterward.
Dosage-wise, you might want to try 5 mg of Ligandrol and 10 mg of ostarine to get some real benefits from this stack. The Ostarine will help a lot with recovery times when you take it this way, meaning you can squeeze in maybe up to 5 solid gym sessions a week with no real issues.
Ostarine Benefits Explained
As you now know, there are plenty of Ostarine benefits that you can gain by taking Ostarine on its own or as part of a stack. We must say that before you venture into the world of SARMs and start a cycle, make sure you fully understand what you’re taking and the likely effects it will have on your body. Also, try to find a reputable supplier for your SARMs.
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