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If you’ve spent any time in the bodybuilding community, then you may have heard about RAD 150, a new wonder drug that is sweeping the bodybuilding world. But what is RAD 150? What benefits does it offer? What side effects can be experienced when taking it? And how should you take it? This article will tell you everything you need to know about RAD 150.
What is RAD 150?
RAD 150, also known as TLB-150 Benzoate, is a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM). Many people make the mistake of assuming that SARMS are the same as anabolic steroids, which is understandable.
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They both bind to androgen receptors to simulate the effects of male sex hormones. However, while steroids target many types of cells, SARMS are designed to specifically target certain cells and ignore others.
You can use a SARM that specifically targets muscle cells, while a steroid will target muscle cells but also a number of other cells in the body. This makes SARMS preferable to steroids, as they are less likely to cause serious side effects.
RAD 150 is a new version of an older SARM called RAD 140 that has had an ester added to it. Adding the ester helps to increase the bioavailability of the SARM, helping to speed up results. Esterification is also known to help stabilise the SARM, making it safer and more efficient to use.
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How Does RAD 150 Work?
As a SARM, RAD 150 works by binding to androgen receptors in muscle tissue. This allows you to train for longer, respond better to resistance exercises, and recover more efficiently after a workout. Because RAD 150 is a SARM, it won’t simultaneously target androgen receptors in other cells, making it a lot more efficient than anabolic steroids.
How Does RAD 150 Compare to RAD 140?
RAD 150 is a superior version of RAD 140. It has been esterified to improve its bioavailability and its potency. RAD 150 is also more stable than RAD 140, making it safer and more effective.
There is no research on RAD 150 and little research on RAD 140, so we can’t say how much stronger RAD 150 is, but anecdotal reports estimate it to be around 10-15% stronger.
Because RAD 140 has more research behind it, there are some who claim that it is safer, but this is by no means proven. It’s just a guess.
RAD 150 Benefits
Again, there is a lack of scientific evidence for many of the benefits of RAD 150. However, it is a SARM that affects muscle tissue, so we can apply benefits to similar SARMS to RAD 150. The following benefits are applicable to any SARM, and many have been tested on RAD 140.
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A common argument is that anecdotal evidence is not useful and should be ignored. But this is based on a misunderstanding of science. The truth is that there is little to no funding for SARMS research, and yet there are hundreds of thousands of people who use SARMS. Their data is still useful.
Many of the benefits and side effects of anabolic steroid use that scientists have discovered have already been known in the bodybuilding community for decades. That’s the reality of bodybuilding and drug use.
Increased Muscle Mass
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One of the most well-known benefits of SARMS, such as RAD 150, is that they can help you to increase your muscle mass. A 2022 study found that SARMS led to significant strength gains in both men and women over the course of 13 weeks [1].
SARMS help you to train at a higher intensity for a longer period of time. They also help to increase protein synthesis in the muscles [2], allowing your muscles to adapt faster and more effectively than with regular training and diet.
Studies have also found that SARMS have anti-catabolic effects [3], which means that you can train for longer before catabolism occurs. Interestingly, this appears to work for untrained and trained individuals. Usually, supplements that lead to muscle growth are restricted to new gym goers and “noob gains”, but not with SARMS such as RAD 150.
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Increased Fat Burning
Unlike muscle building, a lot of the discussion around increased fat burning is anecdotal rather than evidence-based. But as stated earlier, it is important not to discount anecdotal evidence in bodybuilding.
RAD 150 does not target fat directly, but instead, it burns fat by raising your metabolic rate. It works like this:
1. RAD 150 raises testosterone levels
2. Increased testosterone levels boost metabolism
3. Higher metabolism helps to create a calorie deficit
4. Calorie deficit leads to fat burning
SARMS are very similar to steroids in that some are better at eliciting fat-burning than others. RAD 140 and RAD 150 are known in the bodybuilding world for being particularly effective at burning fat, provided you stay within a calorie deficit via diet.
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Improved Recovery from Exercise
This ties into the first benefit. By increasing muscle protein synthesis, RAD 150 can help you to recover faster and more effectively than normal. Not only will you be able to return to the weights room quicker, but your body will also be able to use your recovery period to create even better gains in size and strength.
May Increase Libido
This benefit is anecdotal, but there is a lot of talk about men who take RAD 150 seeing significant improvements in the bedroom. This may not be a long-term benefit, though. Anabolic steroids, for example, are known to reduce libido in users in the long term and can also lead to erectile dysfunction [4]. But, in the short term, they can boost your libido.
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Improved Sports Performance
There is a reason why SARMS are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). It is because the benefits of using SARMS are obvious. They turbocharge recovery between sessions, can boost muscle mass, and help raise your metabolism.
SARMS appear to be particularly popular with endurance sports athletes. Several American and Australian triathletes have tested positive for SARMs in recent years. As well as long-distance cyclists. This may be due to their ability to improve endurance performance or their ability to speed up recovery.
SARMS are also popular in fighting sports such as boxing and the UFC. This is probably due to their ability to increase recovery as well as boosting power.
While there are ethical reasons to avoid SARMS if you participate in sports, it is undeniable that one of their benefits is their ability to improve sporting performance.
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RAD 150 Side Effects
As mentioned before, RAD 150 does not have any scientific studies surrounding its use, particularly not long-term studies. Anecdotally, there have been several side effects noticed by many users, and of course, there are the side effects that most SARMS share.
Water Retention*
Water retention is common with anabolic steroids. This is due to aromatization (the conversion of testosterone to estrogen by the enzyme aromatase). Many people accuse RAD 140 and RAD 150 of causing water retention, but because they are SARMS, they cannot cause aromatization and therefore do not cause water retention.
What happens is that they cause glycogen storage, which can be mistaken for water retention. Or you aren’t taking SARMS and are taking something else instead.
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Insomnia
The idea that RAD 140 or 150 can cause insomnia is highly debated online. Many people report insomnia after taking RAD, but they are often shut down by other users, who say that they are taking a mislabelled supplement instead.
The theory for how RAD causes insomnia is that it boosts your metabolism, which can raise your body temperature, making it harder to sleep.
It’s hard to say who is right and wrong in this, but the theory does make sense. Many users recommend keeping a window open to lower the room temperature before going to bed.
Raised Blood Pressure
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Some people have reported high blood pressure and palpitations when taking RAD 140 and RAD 150, but this is rare, and again, there is much debate as to whether the people are actually taking RAD or they are taking something else.
Liver Injury
A 2020 case report looked into the effects of Alpha Bolic (RAD 140) on liver health in a 52-year-old man [5]. While the report claimed that RAD 140 could well have caused the jaundice that the man was suffering from, it should also be noted that “he reported drinking bourbon and beer daily and using marijuana”.
Still, the case report concluded that:
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“we reported severe drug-induced hepatotoxicity associated with RAD-140 and LGD-4033. Although RAD-140 and LGD-4033 are not FDA-approved for clinical use, they are freely sold over the counter and via the internet as a dietary supplement. A higher level of regulations for these products is required to protect public health.”
Typical Cycle and Dosage of RAD 150
The recommended cycle length for RAD 140 and RAD 150 is 8 week at 10mg/days. There are some people who follow longer cycles, but they tend to start with lower dosages (5 mg and 7.5 mg) for the first two weeks and then raise them up to the recommended dosage of 10 mg.
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Others prefer to follow a 6-week cycle, claiming that the gains tend to drop off after week 6. But the most commonly used cycle is 8 weeks.
Typical Results
Most users have experienced decent increases in strength and muscle size over an 8-week cycle. If you are using it for fat loss, then you can expect some seriously good results. Some users have seen their body fat percentage drop from 20% to 13% within 8 weeks.
A lot of lifters remarked on the increased muscle pump that they experienced while using RAD. They also saw increases in their compound lifts (bench, deadlift, squat).
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It is, of course, difficult to find “typical” results when so many people who use it have different goals, different starting positions, different genetic potentials, and follow differing lengths of a cycle.
Is RAD 150 Safe?
It is hard to argue that RAD 150 is completely safe. You wouldn’t offer it to your pregnant wife! But SARMS are generally seen as safer than anabolic steroids. If you have any heart or liver issues, then it is best to avoid them, as there definitely appears to be a link between RAD 140/150 use and liver injury, and there appears to be a link with high blood pressure.
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Is RAD 150 Legal?
It is 100% legal to buy Rad 150 for research purposes and to observe its effects. However, it is not to be used for cosmetic purposes.
This is the general consensus worldwide, based on many countries' laws (including USA, England, Canada etc). However, Australian citizens are only allowed to purchase SARMs with a prescription from a doctor.
Final Thoughts on RAD 150
If you are wondering whether RAD 150 works, well, it certainly does. It can help you to lift more weight, build more muscle, and recover faster from your sessions. It can also help you to burn fat. Whether you consider it safe or legal depends on your approach to risk/reward.
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Other than the potential to affect your heart and liver, the side effects of RAD 150 are not particularly serious. If you have a healthy heart and live an otherwise healthy lifestyle, the risks are quite low.
Compared to anabolic steroids, SARMS such as RAD 140 and RAD 150 are a much safer and potentially more effective alternative. In that context, they are a smart choice, but they still represent a risk, particularly for older lifters.
References
Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.
