Ostarine MK 2866

You are reading this article since you need more information on Ostarine MK 2866 which is also known as Enobosarm or just MK-2866 and it is one of the most preferred SARMs when it comes to gaining high-quality and lean muscle mass with no or minimal side effects.

Originally, it was developed as a treatment for patients suffering from cachexia, osteoporosis and anemia.

This is a compound that was initially developed by GTX Inc (a biotechnology firm based in the US) in the year 2001 and since then it has gone through 3 phases of clinical trials. However, it was concluded that it was ineffective in the treatment of breast cancer patients (suffering from cachexia). The main reason behind this was that there were hardly any improvements in muscular strength, despite an increase in muscle hypertrophy.

No wonder, GTX Inc stopped any more trials on the product. I must mention here that Ostraine is not approved for human use by the FDA and it remains illegal to buy for cosmetic purposes. Not just this, its use is also banned by most sports organizations including WADA.

Having said that, it is important to know that Ostarine and many other SARMs are considered Investigative compounds and are allowed for research purposes only. Even though most SARMs including Ostarine have found their way into the bodybuilding circles in a big way, their use as a bodybuilding supplement remains illegal in most countries around the world, including the US.

Most companies selling SARMs seem to have taken advantage of this loophole for selling SARMs both online and offline.

Ostarine Benefits

Let’s have a brief look at some of the benefits of Ostraine or MK 2866 that make it so appealing to bodybuilders:

Muscle Size and Strength

One of the most important benefits that make it so highly appealing to the muscle-building crowd is that it tends to mimic anabolic steroids’ anabolism and it does so by stimulating the AR (androgen receptor). Not just this, it is also known to increase skeletal muscle and bone strength.

Taking things even further, Ostarine or MK 2866 is known to enhance satellite cell cycle activation. Thus, it helps in fusing with myofibers and also increases myonuclei in the muscles.

Since it attaches itself to selective tissues in the body, it can actually increase lean muscle mass without the androgenic side effects that are so very common in the case of steroids.

Study

According to a study conducted on elderly men and women, participants are known to have increased their lean body mass by 3% in just a 12-week period. These participants were given a low dose of 3mg/day.

More importantly, these men and women also experienced a considerable increase in their muscle strength. It is known that these men and women were able to add 22 lbs to their bench press by the end of 12 weeks.

I must mention here that the dose of 3 mg per day that was given to these participants was a fraction of the dosage that bodybuilders usually consume.

No Virilization In Women

Anabolic steroids tend to result in virilization in women. Some of the effects of this could include deepening of the voice, growth of facial and torso hair, enlargement of the clitoris, etc. This is why women must avoid most anabolic steroids. Ostarine is a safe compound that does not lead to virilization in women as shown by the result of the study above. Elderly women who were given a daily dose of Ostarine showed no signs of masculinization.

Fat Loss

Ostarine is not just effective for gaining muscle mass but is also great for a cutting cycle. One of the best things about this SARM is that it helps burn both subcutaneous as well as visceral fat in your body.

As a matter of fact, getting rid of visceral fat is one of the most unique attributes of Ostarine. This is unlike most anabolic steroids that tend to increase visceral fat. As a matter of fact, this is why most bodybuilders doing steroids have protruding bellies these days.

The good news, however, is that Ostarine can help you get a slim waistline by reducing fat from your midsection.

But this is not all!

Ostarine also produces some excellent metabolic effects so that your body is in a fat-burning mode throughout the day so that you are in a calorie deficit. In other words, MK 2866 is one SARM that produced direct and indirect lipolytic effects, making you lose excess fat ultra-quick!

It’s important to mention here that in the study mentioned above, elderly men and women experienced a 0.6kg or 1.3 lbs reduction in fat mass. Now, it is only fair to assume that young bodybuilders will experience more pronounced weight loss when they combine Ostarine with weight training or cardiovascular exercise.

Ostarine Side Effects

Let’s have a look at some of the steroids that this SARM can produce…

Testosterone Suppression

Let me begin by saying that when taken in a small quantity, Ostarine does not really lead to suppression. According to a study conducted on elderly men who were given a low dose of 2 mg per day for a period of 12 weeks, there were hardly any changes in their serum testosterone levels.

But what about high dosages?

• Weightlifters taking a high dose of 25 mg per day for a period of 6 weeks did not notice any change in their libido, nocturnal erections or testicular size.
• Some users taking 20mg per day for a period of 8 weeks reported effects of low testosterone. When tested, one of such users scored 148 ng/dL (as compared to the average score of 264-916 ng/dL)

Thus, it can be concluded that:

• in the case of higher dosages, there may be suppression but it may not be obvious to the users
• how an individual feels when on this compound varies from person to person and may not even notice the effects of low testosterone unless tested.

Liver Toxicity

As per the study mentioned above, 20 of elderly men who were given Ostarine noticed an increase in their AST/ALT liver markers. However, they did not rise to alarming levels. Having said that, I must mention here that these elderly men were given a far low dose as compared to what bodybuilders are known to consume.

One of the main reasons of Ostraine causing liver toxicity is because it is taken orally and it has to pass through the liver before getting fully active, thereby causing stress and inflammation of the liver.

Cholesterol Issues

One of the most alarming side effects is that it can reduce HDL cholesterol in your body. According to the study mentioned above, elderly men who were given 3 mg of Ostarine MK 2866 per day for 12 weeks noticed a sharp drop in their HDL levels by as much as 27% which is quite significant and can have the potential of increasing myocardial infarction or heart attack risk in the short or long term. I must mention here that 3 mg a day is a small dose and this risk could be highly aggravated when Ostarine is taken even in moderate doses.

Gynecomastia and Water Retention

Gynecomastia and water retention are some common side effects when it comes to anabolic steroids but how do SARMs fare?

Well, to be honest, there are some SARMs that can elevate estrogen levels in your body indirectly by binding strongly to the androgen receptors in the body and leaving more natural testosterone in the body that can be converted to estrogen.

As a result, some people do experience gynecomastia or boating when on SARMs even though there’s no aromatase enzyme present.

But, what about Ostarine?

The good thing is that most Ostraine MK 2866 users report minimal or no water retention. Not just this, most of them experience dry muscle gains. This is a SARM that bears minimal effect on estrogen marked with improved Insulin sensitivity. The chances of experiencing gynecomastia are supposed to be quite low when on Ostarine.

Hair Loss

Even though most SARMs do not have 5-alpha reductase enzyme, some users report hair loss or recession of their hairline when on Ostarine and other SARMs.

One of the reasons behind it is your DHT levels getting elevated indirectly.

Let me put it this way…

Ostarine tends to compete with natural testosterone levels in your body to bind to androgen receptors and it beats testosterone in the process. What it means is that a lot of free testosterone is left in your body to convert to DHT.

Even though hair loss is not going to be as prominent with Ostarine as it is with anabolic steroids, it is certainly a possibility.

Legal Ostarine MK 2866 Alternative

One of the best and safest ways to get all the benefits of Ostarine without any of its negative side effects is with the help of natural or legal Ostarine alternatives such as Osta 2866 from Crazy Bulk.

Osta 2866 from Crazy Bulk is formulated with 100% natural ingredients and works in your body just like M 2866. In other words, it helps you experience all the benefits of Ostarine without any of its negative side effects.

It can help you gain lean and dry muscle, boost natural testosterone levels, enhances strength, burn excess fat, increase energy and stamina.

The beauty of this supplement lies in the fact that it does not have adverse side effects and you do not even require a PCT!

Ostarine Dosage

What you need to keep in mind is that Ostarine does not have FDA approval for use among humans. Thus, there are no dosage guidelines set for this SARM.

Having said that, in clinical studies various dosages such as 3 mg, 9 mg and 18 mg/day have been used with successful results.

Here are some daily dosages that men and women try to enhance their body composition:

Dosage for Men trying to change body composition	10-30 mg/day
Dosage for Women	10 mg/day

Women should not consume more than 10 mg/day since it increases the chances of experiencing virilization.

Ostarine can be used for both bulking and cutting cycles:

• A higher daily dosage is likely to increase muscle hypertrophy and is more suitable for a bulking cycle
• A low daily dosage, on the other hand, is likely to promote fat-burning in your body and thus, it is more suitable for a cutting cycle.

Word of Caution – A higher daily dosage can help you get good bulking results but it is also likely to increase side effects, particularly cholesterol and liver toxicity.

Ostarine Cycle

One of the most popular cycles for fat-loss while preserving lean muscle in the body is as follows

Ostarine Daily Dosage (For Men)	20 mg/day
Length of the Cycle	8 weeks

Ostarine Daily Dosage (For Women)	10 mg/day
Length of the Cycle	4-8 weeks

When taking Ostarine MK 2866, it is important to keep a tab on your testosterone, cholesterol and liver enzymes. If they do not deteriorate excessively, you may extend the cycle for up to 12 weeks. However, I do not really recommend extending it for such a period since it increases the risk of side effects.

Furthermore, Ostarine can be stacked with other SARMs but again, it is likely to raise blood pressure and liver enzymes. Thus, if you do use an Ostarine stack, you need to be extremely cautious.

Ostarine Cardarine Cycle/Stack

A lot of bodybuilders use Ostarine and Cardarine stack in order to gain lean muscle and to burn excess fat. In such a case, typical daily dosage looks like this:

Ostarine	20 mg/day for 8 weeks
Cardarine	20 mg/day for 8 weeks

According to research, Cardarine is known to have cardioprotective properties. What it means is that it can help increase your HDL or good cholesterol and thus it can be great for preventing spikes in blood pressure resulting from the consumption of Ostarine.

Is Cardarine safe?

There are a couple of things that you need to know about this SARM. First of all, it is likely to be toxic to the liver. As a matter of fact, its effect on the liver is comparable to taking 50 mg/day of Anavar. I would like to clarify here that taking Cardarine with Ostarine is likely to exacerbate your liver values.

Yet another common concern about Cardarine is that it is known to be carcinogenic. Animal studies have shown that it can lead to various cancers. Having said that, such studies seem to have been criticized since heavy dosages are known to have been used.

However, what seems to be a cause of concern is that Cardarine is known to result in various cancers even at small dosages. It is hardly surprising that Cardarine was pulled from further development in medicine way back in 2009.

How To Take Ostarine?

Typically, Ostarine comes in the form of an oral solution and is dosed at 25mg/ml. It is taken by mouth. What you can do is use a dropper or a syringe to measure the dose and consume it orally.

It can also be consumed sublingually by placing the liquid under your tongue for 10-15 seconds before swallowing it. This allows direct contact with the mucus membrane and ensures quick entry into the bloodstream.

Apart from this, Ostarine may also be available in the form of tablets with a potency of 10mg per pill. You can try that as well.

Ostarine PCT

Ostarine MK 2866 is usually considered a mild SARM. What is known is that even though it can result in testosterone suppression it does not lead to a complete shutdown.

Having said that, planning a PCT beforehand is important in order to mitigate suppression and other side effects.

However, if you find that your well-being, energy, testicular size and libido are more or less normal, then you can actually get away without a PCT even if your testosterone levels are on the lower side. In such a case, your testosterone levels will take several weeks to get back to their normal level.

If, on the other hand, you experience a drastic drop in your energy levels or libido or sexual health, then it is wise to opt for a Clomid PCT. I must mention here that Clomid is a mild medication when compared to Nolvadex, which is used for harsher SARMs and anabolic steroids.

Clomid, in all likelihood, can help restore testosterone production in your body to its previous levels and also eliminate symptoms of low testosterone. It is recommended that you must have 25mg/day of Clomid for a period of 30 days. Ideally, you must begin your Clomid PCT two days after your last dose of Ostarine which has a half-life of 14-16 hours and thus, it should have completely cleared out of your system by then.

Conclusion

Even though Ostarine is considered a mild SARM, there’s no doubt that it can be suppressive. I would recommend that you try a legal and safe alternative instead of using MK 2866 Ostarine. Osta 2866 from Crazy Bulk is one of the finest supplements that mimics Ostarine without any of its negative side effects. It does not even require a PCT.