LGD-4033 is another investigational SARM which has become popular with athletes because of its anabolic effects. Several professional athletes have been sanctioned for using LGD-4033 for performance enhancement as, like all SARMs, it is prohibited by anti-doping bodies.
A top Australian swimmer who recently tested positive for LGD is one of the high-profile athletes to bring this SARM to public attention, with the athlete stating she was unaware that LGD was included in a supplement.
During the human clinical trials, no serious adverse effects were noted, and the drug was well tolerated. Clinical trials also showed that free testosterone levels were significantly suppressed but that after treatment was finished, hormone levels returned to normal however this took almost two months when testosterone was left to recover naturally. This hormonal suppression occurred at a dosage of 1mg daily.
The USADA also notes that LGD-4033 brings about a decrease in the production of testosterone and other hormones, which is one of only the few side effects known to date about this SARM.
Mild side effects may include headache, nausea and fatigue but you should be able to control these well with your dosage, which is why starting at a low dose is always recommended until you know how your body reacts to LGD; the side effects that you hear about one person having might not affect you at all, and your side effects can be different to the next guy. Just as with steroids, we have different individual reactions to different SARMs as well.
Studies have shown that LGD comes with no serious side effect and only rarely with mild side effects. One study showed that some users experienced headaches and dryness of the mouth.
Apart from that there is little to no evidence that this SARM causes serious adverse effects, with some studies including doses of up to 22mg daily. While that dose is not recommended, it does indicate the safety of LGD overall and its low side effect risk profile, particularly when compared with steroids.
- Nausea and Headaches – These are mild side effects that some people may experience. If they persist, drop your dosage and continue to evaluate the effects. One method of potentially minimizing or eliminating nausea while on a LGD cycle is to increase your water consumption and making sure you’re fully hydrated; this can help with headaches as well. Side effects of this nature should disappear straight away after you stop using LGD
- Respiratory – Some studies showed an incidence of respiratory tract infections of some Ligandrol users, but it is not known whether this is a direct effect of the SARM, with researchers stating they did not consider the infections to be linked to LGD
- Cholesterol – Studies have shown some impact on cholesterol even at low doses of 1mg per day. HDL levels were decreased during the trial, although there were no changes seen with LDL cholesterol. The reduction in HDL cholesterol was significant at 1mg daily for 3 weeks so those with existing cholesterol issues must keep this in mind when planning their dosage and cycle length. Short term length is not thought to put most users at risk of health issues provided a healthy diet is maintained with plenty of omega-3 foods.
LGD is much more appealing to women than steroids because of the lack of masculine trait development that are an almost certainty with steroids; with LGD-4033 women are not at risk of these side effects, nor will men experience the common androgenic effects seen with steroids like acne and hair loss, despite LGD-4033’s powerful androgenic nature. This is possible because of the highly selective targeting of specific androgenic receptors by this SARM.
Researchers have stated that LGD is deemed safe and well tolerated by users without any serious adverse effects. This indicates that while some of these side effects are possible, in general people will find LGD a much safer compound to use than just about any anabolic steroid.