Composition of Products Sold as Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs)

Risks of anabolic steroids commonly used by athletes to enhance performance and appearance led to development of selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs; nonsteroidal ligands that bind to androgen receptors, including myocytes), a new class of compounds for increasing muscle strength and size. Although these compounds are not FDA-approved and are associated with serious safety concerns, SARMs are marketed heavily and are readily available online. Common SARM compounds that are marketed under various trade names include Ostarine, Ligandrol, Andarine, Testolone, and Stenabolic. To evaluate the composition of these products, investigators conducted Web-based searches and identified 210 products purported to contain SARMs from 51Internet …