Short answer: the 14 SARMs before and after reports below are unverified individual accounts of 6–10 week cycles, almost always with strict dieting and often with stacks. Controlled trials show modest changes: ostarine at 3 mg a day added 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) of lean mass and removed 0.6 kg of fat vs placebo over 86 days (Dalton 2011), and LGD-4033 at 1 mg a day added 1.21 kg in 21 days (Basaria 2013). Both trials also found lower testosterone and HDL cholesterol. Most other compounds here have never been tested in people.
Below: a quick summary of SARMs, what the studies show, the reader reports compound by compound with links to each compound’s full before and after page, and the original author’s own results.
SARMs Summary
Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are drugs that activate the androgen receptor, the receptor testosterone uses, with the aim of building muscle and bone with less effect on tissues such as the prostate. They were developed from the late 1990s for muscle wasting and osteoporosis. None has been approved anywhere we could find, and the FDA says products sold as SARMs are unapproved drugs linked to liver injury, heart attack and stroke (FDA).
The old version of this page said SARMs don’t affect other organs and have “little to no side effects”. Trials found otherwise: lower testosterone, lower HDL cholesterol and raised liver enzymes, and a systematic review counted 15 case reports of drug-induced liver injury in healthy adults using SARMs (Vignali 2023). Full background: SARMs guide and the SARMs database.
What the studies show: realistic SARMs results
| Compound | Human data | Measured change |
|---|---|---|
| Ostarine | Phase 2 and 3 trials | +1.3 kg lean mass, −0.6 kg fat vs placebo, 86 days at 3 mg/day; HDL −27% (Dalton 2011) |
| LGD-4033 | Two trials | +1.21 kg lean mass, 21 days at 1 mg/day; strength not significantly changed (Basaria 2013) |
| RAD-140 | One trial (cancer) | Muscle not measured; liver-enzyme rises common (LoRusso 2022) |
| MK-677 (not a SARM) | Several trials | +1.1 kg fat-free mass over 12 months in older adults (Nass 2008) |
| Cardarine (not a SARM) | Short trials | Blood fats improved; fat loss not measured |
| Andarine, YK11, S23, SR9009 | None | Animal or cell data only |
Source: Sarmguide compound database.
So when you read the reports below, remember: the reports are unverified and combine diet, training and often several compounds; the doses are usually far above anything tested; and products are often not what the label says (only 52% of 44 tested products contained a SARM, Van Wagoner 2017).
SARMs Before and After Results (User Reports)
Editor’s note: readers sent these results to the original author. They are unverified individual reports: the provenance of the reports and photos could not be checked, and doses, products and results are what each person said, not measured outcomes, typical results or recommendations. The original photos are no longer available on our server, so the descriptions below are what remains. The muscle, weight and fat estimates the original author made from the photos have been removed, because a photo cannot separate muscle from water, fat loss, lighting, diet, training or other compounds.
The section also covers compounds often stacked with SARMs, such as cardarine, MK-677 (ibutamoren) and stenabolic. Almost every reader below dieted and trained hard during the cycle, which makes the share of any compound impossible to separate.
Ostarine (MK-2866)
Ostarine is the most studied SARM; at 1–3 mg a day it lowered HDL and total testosterone in trials. More in the Ostarine review.
Ostarine Results #1
This reader was cutting and described keeping his muscle while losing fat around the stomach. It is an unverified individual report; fat and lean mass were not measured.
Reported use: ostarine alone for 8 weeks, no PCT, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
Recovery after 15 mg a day (five times the highest trial dose) has not been studied. See Ostarine PCT for what is known.
Ostarine Results #2 (+ Cardarine)
This reader stacked ostarine with cardarine while dieting and described weight and fat loss with muscle kept. With two compounds and a diet involved, no change can be credited to ostarine alone, and the report is unverified.
Reported use: ostarine with cardarine for 8 weeks, no PCT, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
Cardarine doesn’t act on the androgen receptor, but ostarine does lower testosterone. More reports: Ostarine before and after results.
Ligandrol (LGD-4033)
LGD-4033 was well tolerated in a 21-day trial at up to 1 mg a day, but testosterone, SHBG and HDL fell with dose, and liver-injury case reports exist in users. More in the Ligandrol review.
Ligandrol Results #1
This reader, already well trained, described visible gains in the arms and shoulders over 8 weeks and testosterone suppression near the end of the cycle, after which he took Nolvadex. It is an unverified individual report; muscle was not measured.
Reported use: ligandrol alone for 8 weeks, then Nolvadex, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
The dose he described was ten times the highest dose tested in the 21-day trial. See LGD-4033 PCT for what is known about recovery, and Ligandrol before and after results for more reports.
RAD 140 (Testolone)
RAD-140 has one human trial, in people with breast cancer: muscle was not measured, and liver-enzyme rises were common (LoRusso 2022). More in the RAD 140 review.
RAD 140 Results #1 (+ Cardarine)
This reader took RAD-140 with cardarine while eating 300–500 calories below maintenance and described weight loss with more muscle in the arms and shoulders. It is an unverified individual report, and two compounds plus a diet were involved.
Reported use: RAD-140 with cardarine for 8 weeks, no PCT, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
He reported no suppression but did not report bloodwork. RAD-140 cut testosterone by about two-thirds in monkeys. More in the RAD 140 PCT guide.
RAD 140 Results #2
This reader, already well trained, described small changes in the chest, abs and arms over 8 weeks. The person reported some suppression, took no PCT and said they felt recovered after about a month; hormones were not tested. It is an unverified individual report.
Reported use: RAD-140 alone for 8 weeks, no PCT, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
More reports are in RAD 140 before and after results.
Andarine (S4)
Andarine is a SARM from the same research group as ostarine. No human trial has been published; in castrated rats it restored muscle mass and strength (Gao 2005). Users report vision changes such as a yellow tint, which no published study has measured. More in the Andarine review.
Andarine Results #1
A bodybuilding YouTuber described a leaner look after an 8-week cycle with a strict diet and training. He reported vision problems during the cycle that went away after he stopped. It is an unverified individual report; fat loss was not measured, and diet and training make the andarine share impossible to separate.
Reported use: andarine alone for 8 weeks, split into two daily doses, no PCT, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
Andarine’s effect on testosterone in people has not been measured; it lowered LH and FSH in rats. More reports: Andarine before and after results with pictures.
YK11
YK11 is a steroid-based compound sold as a SARM. It has never been tested in people, and its effect on testosterone has never been measured. More in the YK11 review.
YK11 Results #1
This reader described more back muscle and less body fat after 8 weeks, followed by Clomid. It is an unverified individual report; neither muscle nor fat was measured.
Reported use: YK11 alone for 8 weeks, then Clomid, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
YK11 Results #2
This reader described a shorter 6-week cycle, visible changes in the arms and shoulders and new personal records on the squat, bench press and deadlift. It is an unverified individual report; muscle was not measured.
Reported use: YK11 alone for 6 weeks, no PCT, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
More reports: YK11 before and after results.
S23
S23 has been studied only in rats, where it was developed as a male contraceptive: it acted on the androgen receptor strongly and cut LH by more than half within two weeks (Jones 2009). It has not been tested in people. More in the S23 review.
S23 Results #1
This reader described bigger arms and shoulders and new personal records after 8 weeks, followed by Clomid. It is an unverified individual report; muscle was not measured.
Reported use: S23 alone for 8 weeks, split into two daily doses, then Clomid, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
More reports: S23 before and after results.
MK-677 (Ibutamoren)
MK-677 (ibutamoren) is not a SARM: it makes the pituitary gland release more growth hormone, which raises IGF-1. In older adults it added 1.1 kg of fat-free mass over 12 months (Nass 2008). More in the MK-677 review.
MK-677 Results #1
This reader, lean at the start, described a bulkier look after 10 weeks. MK-677 raises appetite and body weight, part of it water, so a fuller look in photos is not all muscle. It is an unverified individual report.
Reported use: MK-677 alone for 10 weeks, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
MK-677 is also not a PCT: in obese men it lowered total testosterone vs placebo (Svensson 1999).
MK-677 Results #2 (+ RAD 140)
This reader stacked RAD-140 with MK-677 and described large strength gains and new personal records. With two compounds involved, no change can be credited to either alone, and the report is unverified.
Reported use: RAD-140 with MK-677 for 8 weeks, then MK-677 alone for 4 weeks, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
MK-677 does not restore testosterone; see MK-677 as PCT. More reports: MK-677 before and after results.
Cardarine (GW-501506)
Cardarine is not a SARM: it activates the PPAR-delta receptor. In short human trials it improved blood fats (table above), and its development stopped after cancers in two-year animal studies. More in the Cardarine review.
Cardarine Results #1
This young reader described weight and fat loss over 8 weeks, with a strict diet and training. It is an unverified individual report; fat loss was not measured and cannot be separated from the diet.
Reported use: cardarine alone for 8 weeks, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
Cardarine Results #2 (+ Ostarine)
An experienced female bodybuilder stacked ostarine with cardarine and reported losing 9 lb of weight and 5% body fat. She did not feel suppressed and took no PCT; hormones were not tested. It is an unverified individual report, and two compounds were involved.
Reported use: ostarine with cardarine for 8 weeks, no PCT, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
More reports: Cardarine before and after results.
Stenabolic (SR9009)
Stenabolic (SR9009) is not a SARM and has never been tested in people; case reports link it to serious liver injury. More in the Stenabolic review.
Stenabolic Results #1
This reader took SR9009 alone and described weight and fat loss over 8 weeks with hard training and dieting. It is an unverified individual report; SR9009 has no human data on fat loss, so the change cannot be credited to it.
Reported use: SR9009 alone for 8 weeks, as the person described it; not a recommendation. Not verified.
My SARMs results
Editor’s note: this is the original author’s personal account from the earlier version of this site. It is one person’s unverified experience without bloodwork or body-composition measurement, not evidence and not a recommendation.
The original author described about six years of on-and-off SARM use, covering most compounds on this page. The changes the author reported are much larger than the 1–1.5 kg of lean mass measured in trials (table above), and the side effects are worth noting.
Ostarine
The author reported losing about 5% body fat and keeping muscle.
Ligandrol
The author reported suppression near the end of a cycle at 2.5 mg a day, a dose above the highest tested in the 21-day trial, and an 8 lb muscle gain that was not measured.
RAD 140
The author reported strength gains, about 8 lb of muscle and 5% less body fat, none of it measured.
Andarine
The author reported vision problems serious enough to make driving unsafe, and fat loss of about 6%. The author did not consider the results worth the side effects.
YK11
The author reported a 15 lb gain in 8 weeks and side effects, none of it measured.
S23
The author reported aggression (“roid rage”) at the end of the cycle and a large muscle gain that was not measured.
Taken together, the author’s own list includes suppression on 2.5 mg of ligandrol, vision problems dangerous enough to affect driving on andarine, and “roid rage” on S23.
How to read SARMs results
- Set expectations from data: about 1–1.5 kg of lean mass over 3–12 weeks for the SARMs that were tested.
- Suppression shows only in bloodwork: testosterone, LH, FSH, lipids and a liver panel are the markers SARM trials tracked; the PCT and bloodwork planner lists them.
- Dose and stacks matter: suppression and lipid changes grew with dose in trials, and stacks add them up.
- Quality: if you buy, use a seller with independent batch lab reports; our current pick and why is in the SwissChems review.
Conclusion
These SARMs before and after reports are unverified accounts from people who dieted hard, often stacked several compounds and took doses far above anything tested. The trials show what SARMs themselves do: modest lean-mass gains of about 1–1.5 kg, along with lower testosterone and HDL and, in some people, liver problems. Most SARMs in this article have no human data at all. Use the trial data for expectations and the compound pages for detail: ostarine, LGD-4033, RAD-140, YK11, S23, S4 and cardarine.
Frequently asked questions
What results can you expect from SARMs?
Small gains in trialsEvidence: Trial
In controlled trials, the best-studied SARMs added about 1–1.5 kg of lean mass over 3–12 weeks at low doses. Before and after photos show bigger changes, usually with strict dieting, stacks and much higher doses.
Which SARM gives the best before and after results?
No study compares themEvidence: Limited
Among compounds with human data, ostarine and LGD-4033 have measured lean-mass gains. Users report the biggest changes with S23, YK11 and RAD-140, which have no human muscle data.
How long does it take to see SARMs results?
Weeks, in trialsEvidence: Trial
Trials measured lean-mass changes at 3 weeks (LGD-4033) and about 12 weeks (ostarine). Users usually describe visible changes after 2–4 weeks.
Do SARMs results last after a cycle?
Not studied long-termEvidence: Limited
In the LGD-4033 trial, hormones returned to baseline 5 weeks after stopping; whether lean mass is kept depends on training and diet.
Are SARMs before and after photos real?
Some are, but unverifiableEvidence: User reports
Diet, training, stacks, lighting, pump and water all change a photo, so photos can't show what the drug did on its own. The photos sent to the original author could not be verified.
Sources
- The selective androgen receptor modulator GTx-024 (enobosarm) improves lean body mass and physical function in healthy elderly men and postmenopausal women: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial
- The safety, pharmacokinetics, and effects of LGD-4033, a novel nonsteroidal oral, selective androgen receptor modulator, in healthy young men
- FDA: Certain bodybuilding products put consumers at risk for heart attack, stroke, serious liver damage and more (content current as of 2 December 2025)
- Systematic Review of Safety of Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators in Healthy Adults: Implications for Recreational Users
- A First-in-Human Phase 1 Study of a Novel Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM), RAD140, in ER+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Effects of an oral ghrelin mimetic on body composition and clinical outcomes in healthy older adults: a randomized trial
- Chemical Composition and Labeling of Substances Marketed as Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators and Sold via the Internet
- Discrepancy between serum leptin values and total body fat in response to the oral growth hormone secretagogue MK-677