Ostarine is one of the best-researched selective androgenic receptor modulators. It’s not approved for human use yet, but we know way more about it than any other class substance. Multiple benefits, proven by clinical trials, make it one of the most popular SARMs there are. Here is what it can give you:
Ostarine Benefits
Anti-Catabolic Effect
This is what makes Ostarine a great cutting SARM. On any hardcore diet, your muscle tissue will be the first in line to vanish. You lose strength, lose visual “fullness”, and only after that – start to lose fat. With Ostarine, fat comes off first. Even on a serious calorie deficit, Ostarine will keep your muscle tissue on. With additional anabolic effect, it means that on cutting, you will get more muscle and will lose fat at the same time.
Muscle Growth
I would say that muscle growth is just 20% of Ostarine specialization. Ostarine can be as effective as dihydrotestosterone in some specific muscles, rich in androgenic receptors, as it’s mentioned in a in-depth study here.
We have some medical evidence of its effectiveness as well. For example, in this study, over 100 older men were given 3mg of Ostarine every day, and all of them got a notable increase in muscle tissue. In another round of full-scale trials on cancer patients, Ostarine was proven to build muscle tissue even for an extended period of 4 months with no serious side effects.
Recovery
Some athletes believe that Ostarine can boost your recovery and take you back on track faster after a trauma or a hardcore cycle. Even though it’s a somewhat popular belief, we have no evidence on this one. We know that Ostarine can improve your bone density, as it was proven here, and your heart health (again, as a fact from medical studies, like this one).
Unfortunately, it’s way harder to note bone density improvement than muscle gains or fat loss, so we don’t have that much anecdotal data. It’s not like anyone would agree to test the strength needed to break their arm with – and without Ostarine. Even though we have less sadistic ways to test it, data is still insufficient.
IGF-1 Boost
Insulin-like Growth Factor is vital for muscle growth. Human Growth Hormone acts partly through IGF-1, and many Anabolic Steroids effects are mediated through it as well. Ostarine promotes the release of IGF-1, and you get (of course, on a smaller scale) the same benefits as you would get from some Anabolic Steroids – and even the HGH:
- Endurance boost;
- Muscle hardness;
- Overall health improvement.
I have to note here:
All these studies only prove one thing – Ostarine works, and it’s not just another fake substance with market-exaggerated benefits.
However, Ostarine was never meant to be a performance enhancement drug – it was created for people with cancer, older people, and other patients with muscle loss issues. It means that no one, ever, tried to study its bodybuilding effects. We don’t have trials with dosage over 3mg, and athletes take up to 25mg at a time. We’ve got to rely on anecdotal experience here, and take the medically proven fact that Ostarine works as just a basis.
Ostarine FAQ
Even though Ostarine has been around since the ’90s, some basic questions about the substance remain popular on forums. Not to rely on incompetent anonymous Web experts, here you can get the answers to some of them:
How To Take Ostarine
It’s oral, so you should take it as any other pill. Sorry, no guide for dummies on that one – I wouldn’t disrespect you like that.
Ostarine half-life is 24 hours, so you can take your full dosage in one administration, and forget about it till the next day.
Some athletes prefer to cut the daily dose in parts and take them separately throughout the day. For example, in the morning, before the workout, and before sleep. We all have different schedules, so maybe, for them – it’s the most effective way. However, it will NOT give you any additional results. It will just maybe – not in everyone – reduce some side effects. You can give any protocol a try and see for yourself; the gains will be there anyway.
Ostarine Dosage
We have no medical data on dosage over 3mg every day, so I’ll have to rely on my personal and anecdotal experience. Luckily, we have plenty of reports that precisely note the correlation between the dosage and the result.
Ostarine dosage can go up to 25mg. That’s the traditional dose in bodybuilding, and the highest efficiency point. With anything extra, you will get more side effects than gains. Even on 25mg, you will most likely experience some side effects, like elevated blood pressure, nosebleeds, and hair shedding.
I don’t recommend taking over 20mg ED. It’s a milder way to get almost the same result as on 25mg, but with significantly fewer side effects. Again, we have no idea HOW and WHY it works that way, but it just works.
Keep in mind that there is no – and probably never will be – a universal guide on any dosage of anything in bodybuilding. It’s all individual. You can get a whole bucket of harmful side effects on 12,5mg of Ostarine, while your buddies will whine that they don’t feel any effects at all on 25mg ED.
Find your sweet spot, experimenting from low to high. With some cycles under your belt, you will know your dosage precisely.
Ostarine Cycle
As you could notice from the dosage part, the more you take, the more gains you will get.
Seems obvious, right? Now, remember that bulking is not the only use of SARMs, and Ostarine is also a great cutting tool. The tricky thing here is that you can adjust the dosage not only to your body stats, weight, and experience but also to your cycle targets as well:
- Ostarine dosage for bulking: 20-25mg ED;
- Ostarine dosage for cutting: 15-20mg ED;
- Ostarine dosage for body recomposition: 12,5-15mg.
Solo Ostarine Cycle
Solo use of Ostarine is totally justified – it can hit your targets alone. Just choose the dosage from the paragraph above, depending on what you need, and choose the cycle duration. Depending on your experience, you have two options:
- Moderate 8 weeks cycle;
- Complete 12-weeks cycle.
Of course, nobody will punish you for a 10 weeks cycle as well. Just don’t run Ostarine any longer in big doses. Side effects ill kick in faster than you will get any results after the 12 weeks mark.
Ostarine Stacks & Combinations
SARMs work great with one another, and Ostarine is not an exception. Here are some popular combinations for you:
Classic Ostarine + Cardarine Stack for Fat Loss
The most common stack is Ostarine and Cardarine. Two powerful cutting SARMs work in synergy:
Ostarine promotes fat loss and keeps your mass on, while Cardarine gives you extra endurance for prolonged cardio and high-intensity workouts.
| Ostarine MK-2866 | Cardarine GW-501516 | Nolvadex PCT | |
| Weeks 1-12 | 10-20mg ED | 10-20mg ED | – |
| Weeks 13-14 | – | – | 20-40mg ED |
Ostarine + Cardarine + Andarine Stack for Body Recomposition
You can add another SARM that truly shines on cutting as an overall performance booster – Andarine, aka S4.
| Ostarine MK-2866 | Cardarine GW-501516 | Andarine S4 | Nolvadex PCT | |
| Weeks 1-12 | 15-20mg ED | 10-20mg ED | 25-50mg ED | – |
| Weeks 13-14 | – | – | – | 20-40mg ED |
Worst Possible Ostarine Stacks
I’ve never been a professional chief, but when I enter some bodybuilding forums, I understand what they feel after seeing «Can I put apple juice on my apples» and «Is pork with marshmallows a good combination» kind of questions. Of course, you can stack everything with everything – the result will just probably taste like shit. It applies to SARMs as well. Here are some of the worst (not dangerous, just useless) Ostarine combinations:
MK-677 and Ostarine
Yes, you can stack them, and you will get a great bulking cycle. However, without Ostarine, just on MK-677, it will STILL be a great bulking cycle with the same results. Ostarine won’t add much to it. Isn’t it a waste of the substance? Just a tip: it is.
RAD-140 and Ostarine
Again, a pure waste of money and time. RAD-140 is heavy artillery bulking SARM, and Ostarine is more of a cutting compound. Just choose one – the other won’t be upset, I promise;
LGD-4033 and Ostarine
There is no need to risk getting a combination of side effects for an uncertain result from a bulker and a cutter. It’s justified ONLY when you hop on SARMs right after a hardcore Anabolic Steroids cycle and risk losing all your gains from the blast. In this case, yes, you can polish your results with Ligandrol AND take Ostarine to save as much mass as possible.
How To Train On Ostarine
Just like you usually do – on the edge of your limits. As hard as you can. Always. Less rest time between exercises, higher tempo, and higher overall intensity won’t change much on Ostarine. Neither will a slower rate with more weights. Ostarine will give you the desired effect anyway.
You should not change your workouts for the Ostarine cycle. Instead, Ostarine will change your workouts for you.
You’ll be able to go significantly harder by the end of week 1, and it would be a plain dumb thing to waste such an opportunity on your old weights. Test your limits more on Ostarine – you might be surprised.
Ostarine Side Effects
No side effects were proven during clinical trials. Seriously, according to all the medical data we have, Ostarine is just as safe as a placebo. Is it true, though? Sadly, it’s not.
Clinical trials were limited t just 3mg dose, while we are talking about 8 times bigger ones here. Of course, Ostarine has multiple side effects. Not as severe as they could be, and less dangerous than those of Anabolic Steroids, but they’re still here:
Testosterone Suppression
That’s exactly why we limit Ostarine cycles to just 12 weeks. Its a relatively safe period, 25mg of the substance can’t shut you down in that time (unless you have preexisting conditions). However, if your natural testosterone levels are low before the Ostarine cycle, you’re going to have some bad time. Here is what you can do to slow down the suppression and avoid any consequences of it:
- Never avoid PCT. I’ve mentioned it above multiple times, but it’s so important that I will do it again. PCT is vital for any SARM cycle. At least 2 weeks of 20mg Nolvadex will do.
- Check your testosterone level before the cycle beforehand. You may need to wait for a little to hop on SARMs if it’s already lower than usual. It can be caused by a hardcore AAS cycle with no proper PCT, any natural issues, or just hormonal misbalance.
- Don’t start with big doses. The suppression rate is closely tied to the amount of gear you get. Just start with something in the middle and see how it works for you.
Blood Pressure
Spikes occur mostly on a higher dosage, but you can be just prone to the effect. Higher BP manifests as:
- Hot flashes;
- Face flushing;
- Headaches;
- Dizziness;
- Nosebleeds.
Remember that nosebleeds are NOT OK. It’s a red flag that means that you should lower your dosage immediately.
Of course, I don’t advise dropping the cycle when you see a couple of red spots on your gym t-shirt. You definitely will not die from one or two short nosebleeds that will mostly occur in the gym. However, if you see just one – pay extra attention to your heart and BP.
Here is what else you can do to lower the health risks of high blood pressure:
- Do more cardio. Not the «I will run till I die or I’m a pussy» kind of cardio, but slower and calmer kind;
- Take Cialis. Not because it will rush blood from your nose to your dick – because it lowers your natural BP for some time;
- Eat some supportives: Hawthorne berry extract or magnesium glycinate will do the thing.
Other Ostarine Side Effects
In anecdotal reports, athletes mention a whole bunch of other side effects. They might be their personal thing, resulting from an unfortunate combination of factors, or just individual intolerance. However, since we have no clinical data to rely on, keep these risks in mind as well:
- Cholesterol issues;
- Stamina decrease (overall lower energy);
- Nausea;
- Hair shedding (not balding though);
- Acne;
- Insomnia (or sleepiness, or both);
- Dry skin.
Personal Opinion on Ostarine
Remember when I said that SARMs are precise in their action? They are, but ONLY if you use them that way. You can run Ostarine in a bulking cycle, and it will give you a few gains, no doubt. Many forums and websites even recommend it! However, is it just the right way to utilize such an excellent compound for cutting? No other SARM will keep your muscle on during a calorie deficit.
Bulking capabilities are secondary when we’re talking about Ostarine.
Let me explain. When you want to go to the sea on vacation, you imagine a beachfront, first-line hotel. Well, you can as well go to a mountain village 2 kilometers away from the beach, and walk there daily. However, if the price is equal, it’s just irrational. A cozy mountain village is for the times when you need some relaxation, recovery, a calm and soothing vacation, alone with nature. A possibility to walk to the beach with all the parties and Volleyball is secondary here – just as bulking capabilities in Ostarine. Plan your vacations and use your SARMs with the same levels of dedication.
