Welcome to our review article about the S 23 SARM. This drug has the potential to shred fat and boost muscle growth at an incredible rate. However, S 23 also has some potentially devastating side effects. Read on below to find out more about S 23 SARM.
What is S 23 SARM?
If you are well-familiar with the SARMs market, then you definitely know of a pharmaceutical company known as GTX. The company has a long history of making some of the most potent performance-enhancing substances in the market. If anyone has the expertise and financial muscles to come up with an excellent bodybuilding substance, it’s them.
According to numerous reports, GTX is currently working on a selective androgen receptors modulator known as S 23. While the research on the compound is still ongoing, a significant number of bodybuilders have already embraced the compound for different fitness purposes.
A quick look at various bodybuilding forums gives a hint of just how incredible S 23 can be especially when it comes to cutting of fat while making slight gains. This doesn’t change the fact that S23 is still an investigational drug though which means that there is still a lot of details that remain unknown.
S23 is not yet approved for human consumption but then humans have always had a thing for forbidden fruits, and that’s precisely why it is still widely used.
S 23 SARM History
GTX is a pharmaceutical company that specializes in the development of hormonal drugs. Currently, the company is investigating S23 for interesting reasons. It is believed that GTX can be used as male birth control as it helps to suppress the production of testosterone.
While this may be a good thing in the future when it’s being used for medicinal purposes, it is a problem to bodybuilders. Why is that? If indeed GTX suppresses production of testosterone and you are using it not for that purpose but for bodybuilding, then you’ll have to deal with decreased levels of testosterone, and this can affect your performance significantly.
Other than suppressing testosterone production, studies have also shown that GTX will selectively bind to androgen receptors located in the muscle and bone tissues boosting anabolism which is ideal for muscle growth and in improving bone density. Trials also show that this compound can attack and stimulate the breakdown of fat cells in the body. This is exactly how it helps in breaking body fat while also promoting subtle muscle gains.
What made S23 even more exciting is how safe it works. The only major drawback that bodybuilders will face when using this SARM is testosterone suppression which can be reversed through post cycle therapy. Other than that, studies are showing that it is quite safe.
With such a profile, it was rather obvious that S23 was bound to find its way to the bodybuilding industry. But don’t forget that all the studies done so far involve animals and hence there is no knowing what using the substance can do to humans.
Benefits of S 23 SARM
As a SARM, S23 works by selectively binding to the androgen receptors located in the bone and muscle tissues. This results in numerous benefits such as:
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Reduces body fat
Animal studies show that S23 has an excellent impact when it comes to burning down of fat. One trial done on rats showed that administration of S23 dropped the rat’s body fat percentage significantly.
And that’s not all either; while the body fat was getting oxidized and burned down, there was also an increase in both lean muscle mass and bone mineral density. I don’t think you understand what this really means. You know, most SARMs are usually powerful, but then their chemical structure mostly allows them to be potent for one particular purpose, e.g. building muscles mass or cutting fat. Rarely do you come across a substance that can do both of them in equal measure but guess what? The S23 formula enables it to achieve just that!
Since S23 promotes fat loss while increasing lean muscle mass, it also means that users never have to worry about their muscles getting eaten away.
Trials investigating S23 effects of fat have all shown that the impact is usually dose-dependent. At high doses, S23 was seen to burn more fat than when used in lower doses. Sadly, you can only increase the doses so much before S23 becomes dangerous. This is one of the reasons why S23 should not be used as a weight loss supplement. It’s also not ideal for any bodybuilder who’s looking for significant fat loss. You’d probably want to stack it with another compound to achieve that.
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Stimulates muscle gains
In a particular study on mice, scientists injected the mice with estrogen while administering S23 to see the impact that estrogen may have in muscle mass. Typically, you’d expect an increase in estrogen levels to result in muscle loss, but this wasn’t the case here. The effects of estrogen were counted, and the rat’s actually gained more lean muscle mass.
In a different study, S23 prevented muscle loss caused by glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids are an anti-inflammatory drug whose long-term effects include muscle loss. The use of S23 helped to preserve muscle tissues of rats who had injected with this drug. The substance maintained the size of both slow-twitch (endurance) and fast-twitch (power).
S23 can be used alone or alongside other SARMs to boost muscle growth even further.
We must also mention that S23 does not lead to any water retention or bloating issues. Therefore, it’s easier for S23 users to see and maintain the gains even when they are done cycling the SARM.
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Male birth control
One of the biggest challenges that scientists are facing in their attempts to create a male birth control pill is developing a substance that isn’t just effective but safe too. Getting a compound that can deliver the needed results while preserving a man’s ability to reproduce in the future has been very evasive but with S23, there seems to be some hope.
According to animal trials, S23 helps in suppressing the hormones LH and FSH thus preventing the production of sperms. One animal study even reported a 100% infertility rate in rats that were injected with S23.
What makes S23 an exciting prospect for this function is the fact that the effects are temporary. In all the animal studies where rats were treated with S23, discontinuing the compound restored the rat’s fertility, and after a few weeks, the scientists reported 100% pregnancy rates.
What does that mean for humans? If indeed S23 can be modified to suit this purpose better, men will be able to use it for birth control for as long as they want with a guarantee that discontinuing the dose will immediately restore their reproduction capabilities. More modification would also ensure that using the substance does not affect a man’s performance both in bed and other day-to-day activities. This is what GTX are working towards.
There are also reports that the compound can be engineered for oral administration since some trials are showing that it has excellent bioavailability. Therefore, using S23 as the “pill” would be very convenient.
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Boost bone density
Testosterone and estrogen are crucial for maintaining healthy bones. Unfortunately, the levels of these two sex hormones drop significantly as we grow older. Consequently, your bone tissues will get weaker and weaker with every passing year. This leaves you susceptible to a variety of issues including osteoporosis. That’s also why the condition is very common in the aged population.
S23 strengthens bones in two key ways; First, it increases bone mineralization which increases bone density resulting in stronger bones.
S23 also increases muscle mass which protects the bones from fractures while also speeding recovery.
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Increases strength and endurance
S23 can also be used to increase both strength and endurance for longer and more productive workouts. Users of this substance have already reported incredible boosts in stamina and strength after just a few weeks of using it.
To any serious bodybuilder, an increase in strength and endurance is the perfect opportunity to speed up their fitness journey, and that’s why S23 is a valuable addition in any workout regimen.
Side Effects of S 23 SARM
S23 is not as dangerous as steroids thanks to its highly selective formula, but this doesn’t make it completely safe. The following are some of the most common side effects reported by S23 users:
Testosterone suppression
While some people are excited by the idea of using S23 as a male birth control pill, other people find it annoying because it causes testosterone suppression when it’s not required. The SARM is so powerful for this purpose that it can even result in complete testosterone shutdown as was seen in the rats where 100% infertility rate was reported.
For a bodybuilder who’s only interest is bulking and cutting, having your t-levels drop significantly is a mess. With low testosterone levels, your sex life will be in shambles. You’ll be putting up all the muscles you need and turn into the “big daddy” in the gym, but you’ll always fall short when it comes to performance in bed. Can you live with that?
To deal with this predicament, most users are forced to supplement S23 cycles with Testosterone Replacement Therapy. That’s simply because the suppression can get so severe and affect you so much that they cannot wait until post cycle therapy to resolve the situation.
The good news is that the effect is only temporary. The production of testosterone will be restored as soon as you stop taking S23. You can also go ahead and run PCT after every cycle for faster recovery.
Increased aggression
Users have reported an increase in aggression levels when using S23. The substance can take your anger levels quite high, and this may seriously affect your social life or even career if you are not careful. In healthy individuals, increased aggression shouldn’t be too big of an issue particularly if you are taking the substance in moderate levels.
Unfortunately, anyone with a background of anger issues will be severely affected if they take S23 and this is regardless of the doses they use. If you have such a history, I’d advise you to avoid S23. If you have to take it, you should consult your physician first and figure a way forward.
Testicular and prostate shrinkage
Testicular shrinkage is a common side effect in steroid users but how is it an issue in S23? Also, none of the other SARMs in the market seem to have this issue so why exactly does it occur here? Again, we go back to S23’s effects on testosterone. Due to the severity of testosterone suppression, S23 ends up shrinking your balls. This issue is not just based on anecdotal evidence, but there is actually a trial that proved the same.
When it comes to the prostate, S23 has the opposite effect of steroids. While steroids increase the size of the prostate and open the door to endless health issues, S23 causes it to shrink. And no, we are not saying that the shrinkage of the prostate is good but rather, it is associated with fewer risks as compared to what steroids do.
You can take solace in the fact that both of these effects are temporary. Trials show that the size of your prostate and testicles will return to the norm as soon as normal testosterone production starts and this happens when you stop taking the substance. It is also possible that you might not experience the effect or its impact will be subtle if you supplement S23 with Testosterone Replacement Therapy.
Darker Urine
S23 users reported changes in their urine color after just a couple of days of using the SARM. Most users reported that the urine appeared darker. This effect is also temporary, and it ceases after completing the cycle.
One of the biggest challenges in dealing with S23 is the lack of data on human trials. This limits the information available for us to fully comprehend what this substance actually does to our bodies and what sort of effects we can expect in the long-term.
For instance, we know that it causes the prostate to shrink, but this effect is reversed when one stops taking it. What we do not know is whether using S23 for an extended period like say 3 years (while cycling it of course) can make the effect permanent. The same thing applies when you think about testosterone shutdown.
Some users also expressed some concerns on whether the darkening of urine had anything to do with the damaged liver. So far, there hasn’t been any evidence that S23 causes liver damage and hence dark urine might just be the substance getting filtered out of your system.
Hopefully, the ongoing GTX trials will shed some light on the full extent of the effects of S23. If you are already using the substance, I’ll urge you to tread very carefully.
S 23 SARM Cycle
It goes without saying that a compound as powerful as S23 must be cycled. Various studies and anecdotal experiences seem to suggest that S23 should be used in 8-week cycles. The SARM can be used alone here, or you can stack it with other compounds. It all depends on the results you are looking for.
Something else just as important as cycling S23 is running PCT. Unless you want all your gains to disappear, regain the fat and have shambolic testosterone levels, you’ll make sure that you have your post cycle therapy plan ready before you’ve even started taking S23. Remember that S23 can even lead to a total shutdown of testosterone production and hence you don’t just need a PCT for the sake of it, but you need a rigorous one.
Yes, we understand that the impact on testosterone usually starts to disappear after ending your cycle. However, there are no guarantees that the production of this vital sex hormone will return to the norm by itself if you just stopped taking the SARM. So, are you willing to take the chance by ignoring PCT?!
After your S23 cycle, I’d seriously recommend that you run a SARMs PCT of Clomid and Nolvadex.
S 23 SARM Dosages
No dosage information published is based on human trials. The doses that are being used are from animal trials and user experiences. From that data, we can conclude that the most effective and safe S23 dose is between 10 to 30 mg/day. As is the case with other SARMs, the exact dose that you will end up using should be based on the fitness goals you want and your tolerability to the substance.
S23 has a half-life of approximately 12 hours. You should, therefore, dose the substance twice per day for optimal results. These can be taken in the morning and in the evening.
Is it legal?
S23 can be bought legally from different research institutions for research purposes. It’s, however, not available for human consumption.
If you are outside the US, I’ll advise you to do your research and see whether the substance is legal be it for research or personal uses before making your purchase.
Steer clear of S23 if you are a professional athlete taking part in competitive sports. All SARMs including S23 are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and there are extensive lab tests that will detect the presence of this compound in your system. Therefore, using it will do nothing but damage your career.
Even though S23 is illegal to use in most countries, we are aware that most bodybuilders can still acquire it through underground labs. If this is how you’re getting your S23, I’ll ask to be very keen on who your supplier is.
Some of those vendors add active compounds and other chemicals to the SARMs, and these may affect your results and health. The best SARMs store should guarantee quality because without it you’re just wasting your money, time and risking your life.
Bodybuilding Uses of S 23 SARM
S23 is most effective when used in the final 8 weeks of a 12-week cycle. It helps to shred the fat all while increasing lean muscle mass. By the end of the cycle, the users usually report not just great gains, but amazing cutting results as well.
In summary, S23 will help you get the chiseled and vascularity appearance you need in a single cycle. To achieve this, you’ll need to stack S23 with a couple of other SARMs. Here are some of the stacking ideas that you can explore:
- 20-30 mg/day of S23, 20-30 mg/day of Testolone (RAD-140) and 10 mg/day of Ligandrol (LGD-4033)
- S23, Lgd-4033, and Andarine
- S23 and Mk-677
Conclusion
Even though there aren’t any human trials confirming the benefits of S23, users across the world have reported an excellent fat loss, increase in lean muscle, and a spike in strength and energy. Most people actually love it due to how it effortlessly delivers the ripped physique in regular cycles.
It’s, therefore, difficult to convince any bodybuilder to stop taking S23 simply because there are no human trials to back it up when other athletes are already using it successfully. What I can recommend is that you remain vigilant on where you are sourcing the substance and the doses you’re taking.
It’s also important to use S23 on a short-term basis since we do not know what effects it may cause in the long run.
Sources
- Preclinical Characterization of a (S)-N-(4-Cyano-3-Trifluoromethyl-Phenyl)-3-(3-Fluoro, 4-Chlorophenoxy)-2-Hydroxy=2-Methyl-Propanamide: A Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator for Hormonal Male Contraception https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2630904/
