Ostarine (MK-2866)

Ostarine, also known as Ostabolic, is a popular SARMs researched to prevent or reverse the effects of muscle-wasting diseases. Today though, this performance-enhancing drug is majorly used by bodybuilders to increase strength and lean mass. If you’re new to SARMs or just curious to know how this drug performs, find out all about it in our Ostarine (MK-2866) review.

What Is Ostarine (MK-2866)

Ostarine (MK-2866) is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) capable of stimulating androgen receptors in a way similar to testosterone. This performance enhancing drug has been developed to counterbalance the effects of muscle waste provoked by various diseases.

The drug is still under research, and it is currently used almost exclusively by bodybuilders interested in gaining lean mass without taking steroids.

Like Testolone, the MK-2866 can target specific tissue including muscles and bones but ignores all other tissue. Due to this selective action, the drug comes with little and only mild side effects, none of which involves testosterone suppression or increased estrogen levels.

Not only Ostarine is safer than steroids; research has shown this drug is also safer than other SARMs.

Cancer cachexia is an unmet medical need and our data suggest that use of enobosarm might lead to improvements in lean body mass, without the toxic effects associated with androgens and progestational agents.

doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70055-X. Epub 2013 Mar 14.

Athletes and performance bodybuilders swear by its positive effects. However, while it does work wonders in helping build muscle mass, Ostarine, like all other SARMs, as a matter of fact, is not legal to use in professional sports due to the current world anti-doping regulations.

How Does MK-2866 Work

The MK-2866 is a drug developed for its androgenic action capable of mimicking testosterone. This hormone contributes to increasing skeletal muscle mass, but it’s also the main sex hormone in males.

Due to their multiple roles, androgen hormones have a non-selective influence on much more than your muscles. That’s why steroids – which are essentially androgens – come with multiple negative side effects.

MK-2866, on the other hand, is a SARM. Drugs in this class have been specifically developed to target only muscles and bones. They have no action on other tissues and systems, which means they come without the nasty side effects of steroids.

Studies on animals have shown that Ostarine is one of the most effective selective androgen receptive modulators capable of restoring the size of pelvic floor muscles and activate muscle stem cells.

Through these actions, Ostarine can help regenerate and remodel muscles while stimulating connective tissue cells. Ostarine (MK-2866) can boost muscle growth, enhance strength, and help recover faster from muscle injuries.

What to Consider Before Using MK-2866

Ostarine is one of those SARMs most bodybuilders swear by; however, there are a few things you should know before starting a cycle.

The first and foremost important thing to know is that Ostarine is still in the trial phase and it has not been approved for human use yet. This is not the only SARM that is used with success by bodybuilders despite being in the trial stage though.

Evidence suggests the drug has little to no side effects, while its anti-muscle-wasting properties are real.

You must also know that Ostarine will unlikely be approved for use in professional sports due to its anabolic action.

Used in the right way, this drug can increase lean muscle mass and boost strength, it may improve bone strength and insulin resistance, and it may even reduce cholesterol levels. MK-2866 doesn’t cause hormonal imbalance, and it can be used by people prone to gynecomastia.

Because the drug is still in the trial phase though, its long-term side effects are yet unknown. Sourcing the drug is also hard because it is not yet approved for human consumption.

How to Use Ostarine (MK-2866)

Despite not being approved for human use, bodybuilders using the product claim it comes with a wealth of benefits as far as building lean body mass is concerned. According to both clinical studies and bodybuilder reports, you can gain as much as six pounds of lean mass during bulking cycles of Ostarine dosed at 25 mg/day.

First-time users and women should start with a lower dose of around 10 mg/day and work their way up from there.

Bodybuilders who used Ostarine also claim the results achieved are easier to maintain during the body re-composition and muscle recovery phases, compared to other SARMs and steroids.

Ostarine (MK-2866) Benefits and Results to Expect

According to clinical and scientific research, Ostarine comes with multiple benefits for people suffering from muscle-wasting diseases. Consequently, the drug also helps athletes and bodybuilders burn fat and increase pure muscle mass.

GTx-024 treatment resulted in dose-dependent increases in total lean body mass that were statistically significant (P < 0.001, 3 mg vs. placebo) and clinically meaningful. There were also significant improvements in physical function (P = 0.013, 3 mg vs. placebo) and insulin resistance (P = 0.013, 3 mg vs. placebo).

J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2011 Sep;2(3):153-161. Epub 2011 Aug 2.

Clinical trials on humans have shown that Ostarine increased muscle mass and fitness in cancer patients and elderly people at a dose of only 3 mg/day. Side effects have been described as mild and are not associated with any steroid-like risks.

By increasing muscle mass, the MK-2866 also reduces the risk of bone fractures and speeds up their recovery.

At the same time, clinical trials have proved that Ostarine had a positive action in lowering triglycerides, the total cholesterol levels, and the HDL-C cholesterol, as well as in improving insulin resistance.

This means that anyone could potentially benefit from the muscle-building effects of this drug, including people suffering from diabetes or heart disease.

Ostarine Side Effects

Osterine’s side effects have been described as sporadic and mild. One of the most common side effects is feeling hot and sweaty after taking the drug. Some people also accused headaches, lethargy, and disrupted sleep during their muscle-gaining cycles.

However, these side effects are associated with many other performance enhancers and mass building supplements on the market, so bodybuilders used to them shouldn’t be too affected.

On the other hand, the MK-2866 doesn’t have any of the nasty side effects associated with the steroids, and the muscle mass gained during the performance-enhancing cycles is easier to maintain than the mass gained while taking steroids.

Final Verdict

Ostarine (MK-2866) may be very hard to source at the moment, but it comes with amazing benefits. It can help you gain lean muscle mass and improve your strength quickly thanks to its targeted action.

It has no steroid-like side effects, which means it doesn’t provoke gynecomastia or hypogonadism in men, nor clit enlargement in women.

Besides helping you gain mass, this performance-enhancing drug can also regulate your cholesterol level, lower triglycerides, and improve your insulin resistance. Considering all released clinical reports and until further notice, we can only recommend it.