Muscle Building: Prohormones vs SARMs – Benefits, Risks, and Best Practices

Building muscles is about more than just lifting weights. It’s also about eating right and sometimes using special supplements to help you reach your goals faster. Two popular types of supplements people use to build muscle are called Prohormones and SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators). They can help people gain strength and muscle size, but they also come with some risks.

This guide will explain what Prohormones and SARMs are, their benefits and risks, and how you can use them safely if you decide to try them. Whether you want to bulk up, get stronger, or just get in better shape, this guide can help you make the best choice.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways:

Prohormones turn into hormones in your body that help build muscle, but they can have serious side effects.
SARMs target muscle growth without affecting the rest of your body as much, making them safer than steroids.
Both Prohormones and SARMs need careful use and something called Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) to stay safe.

Understanding Prohormones and SARMs

What Are Prohormones?

Definition and Mechanism of Action

Prohormones are chemicals that change into hormones once they are inside your body. These hormones, like testosterone, help you build more muscle and get stronger. Prohormones work similarly to steroids, but they are not as powerful.

How Prohormones Work

When you take Prohormones, your body changes them into hormones that help you gain muscle faster. These hormones help your muscles recover faster and get bigger. For more information on which one is better, check out this comparison between Prohormones and SARMs.

History of Prohormones

Prohormones were very popular in the 1990s because they helped people get stronger and bigger without using illegal steroids. However, the government started to limit them because they caused some bad side effects.

Types of Prohormones

Here are a few types of Prohormones that people use:

1-Andro: Good for gaining lean muscle.
4-Andro: Increases testosterone, helping you gain both muscle and strength.
Epi-Andro: Helps make muscles harder and reduce fat. For liver support during cycles, many people consider using milk thistle for liver detox.

What Are SARMs?

SARMs are special compounds that help your muscles grow without the bad effects of steroids. SARMs work by targeting the parts of your body that need to grow, like muscles and bones. Because they only work on certain parts of the body, they have fewer side effects.

How SARMs Work

SARMs help increase muscle size by attaching to something called androgen receptors in your muscles. This makes the muscles grow but doesn’t affect other parts of the body, like the liver or prostate, as much. It’s also important to keep your body hydrated, especially during Prohormone or SARM cycles. Learn more about electrolytes for hydration during cycles.

Types of SARMs

Here are some common SARMs and what they are used for:

Ostarine (MK-2866): Good for keeping muscles while losing fat.
Ligandrol (LGD-4033): Helps you get bigger and stronger.
Testolone (RAD-140): Great for increasing muscle strength and power.

Benefits of Prohormones vs SARMs

Benefits of Prohormones

Increased Muscle Mass

Prohormones help you increase your testosterone levels. Higher testosterone means more muscle growth. This helps you gain muscle much faster compared to just working out and eating well.

Improved Strength

Prohormones also help you lift more weight and improve your strength. This can help you see better results in the gym.

Faster Recovery

Another benefit is that Prohormones help your muscles recover faster, which means you can train more often without feeling sore.

Benefits of SARMs

Targeted Muscle Growth

SARMs are known for targeting only muscle and bone. This means they help you grow muscles without affecting other parts of your body as much. Because of this, SARMs have fewer side effects compared to steroids or Prohormones. To see how these two compare, you can read comparing the legal status of Prohormones vs SARMs.

Fat Loss

Some SARMs, like Ostarine, can help you lose fat while keeping your muscle. This makes them popular for cutting (trying to lose fat while keeping muscle).

Stronger Bones

SARMs were first used to help with bone diseases. This means they can also help improve bone strength, which is good if you do heavy lifting.

Comparison Between Prohormones and SARMs

Prohormones give faster results but have more side effects.
SARMs take longer to show results, but they are usually safer and easier on your body.
Prohormones affect many parts of the body, while SARMs only target muscles and bones.

Risks and Side Effects

Risks of Using Prohormones

Hormone Problems

Since Prohormones increase hormones like testosterone, they can mess up your body’s natural hormone balance. After using Prohormones, you might feel tired, lose interest in working out, or even feel depressed because your body stops making its own hormones for a while.

Liver Damage

Prohormones can be hard on your liver because they need to pass through it before they work. This is why it’s important to take liver support supplements if you use Prohormones.

Estrogen Problems

Some Prohormones can change into estrogen, which can cause side effects like gynecomastia (also known as “man boobs”) and water retention.

Risks of SARMs

Lower Testosterone Levels

SARMs can lower your natural testosterone levels, especially if you take high doses. After using SARMs, you may need PCT to help your body start making testosterone again.

Unknown Long-Term Effects

There is still not much research on what happens if you use SARMs for a long time. This means that while they seem safer, we don’t know if they could cause problems in the future.

Vision Problems (With Andarine S4)

One SARM called Andarine (S4) has been known to cause vision changes, like seeing a yellow tint or having trouble seeing in the dark. This usually stops after you quit taking it.

Best Practices for Safe Usage

Dosage Recommendations

Prohormones Dosage

If you’re new to Prohormones, start with a lower dose and use it for 4-6 weeks.
Advanced users may use higher doses for up to 8 weeks but need to watch for side effects.

SARMs Dosage

SARM	Dosage (mg per day)	Cycle Length (Weeks)
Ostarine	10-25	6-8
Ligandrol	5-10	6-8
RAD-140	10-20	6-8

Post-Cycle Therapy (PCT)

Why PCT is Important

When you use Prohormones or SARMs, your body may stop making testosterone on its own. PCT helps bring your hormones back to normal. If you skip PCT, you might lose muscle, feel tired, or have other problems.

PCT Supplements

SERMs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators), like Nolvadex, are often used to help boost natural testosterone after a cycle.
Natural testosterone boosters, like Ashwagandha, can also help during PCT. To learn about important vitamins that support hormone balance, check out vitamin D for hormonal balance on prohormones.

Stacking Prohormones or SARMs

Stacking means using more than one supplement together to get better results. This can lead to more muscle gains but also increases the chance of side effects.

Prohormone Stacks

Bulking Stack: 1-Andro + 4-Andro to help with gaining muscle mass.
Cutting Stack: Epi-Andro + Trenavar for losing fat while keeping muscle.

SARM Stacks

Recomposition Stack: Ostarine + Cardarine to keep muscle while losing fat.
Strength Stack: Ligandrol + RAD-140 for more muscle and strength gains.

Legal and Health Considerations

Is It Legal?

Prohormones are banned in many places because of their strong effects and risks.
SARMs are not approved by the FDA for human use but can be bought for research purposes. Always check the laws in your country before buying.

Checking Product Quality

To stay safe, only buy Prohormones or SARMs from trusted companies that provide lab testing to prove their products are pure and safe.

Alternatives to Prohormones and SARMs

Natural Muscle Building Supplements

Creatine

Creatine is one of the safest and most popular supplements. It helps your body make more energy, which allows you to lift more weight and gain muscle.

Whey Protein

Protein is needed to build muscle. Whey protein helps you get enough protein each day, especially after workouts.

Beta-Alanine

Beta-Alanine helps you push harder during workouts by reducing the amount of acid in your muscles. This means you can lift for longer without feeling tired. You can also improve recovery with BCAA supplements during Prohormone cycles.

Diet and Training Tips for Muscle Growth

Eating Enough Protein

Protein is key to building muscle. Aim for around 1 gram per pound of body weight each day.
Carbs and Fats: Carbs give you the energy to lift weights, and healthy fats help keep your hormones balanced.

Progressive Overload

Progressive overload means making your workouts harder over time—adding more weight, doing more reps, or increasing the number of sets. This helps your muscles grow stronger and bigger.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is very important for muscle growth because this is when your body recovers. Aim for 8 hours each night if possible.

FAQ:

Q1: What are the main differences between Prohormones and SARMs?

Prohormones turn into hormones that help build muscle but have more side effects. SARMs target muscle growth in specific areas and generally have fewer side effects.

Q2: Which is safer: Prohormones or SARMs?

SARMs are usually safer because they target muscle and bone only. Prohormones affect more of the body, which can cause more side effects.

Q3: What should I consider before starting Prohormones or SARMs?

You need to know the risks, the need for PCT, and if they are legal in your country. Also, you should check with a doctor first.

Q4: Do I need PCT for SARMs or Prohormones?

Yes, both require PCT to help your body start making testosterone again after a cycle.

Q5: Can SARMs or Prohormones cause permanent side effects?

If used incorrectly, both can cause long-term problems like low testosterone or liver damage.

Q6: How can I make sure I’m buying quality SARMs or Prohormones?

Buy only from companies that show lab tests for their products to prove they are pure and safe.

Q7: What are the natural alternatives to building muscle without side effects?

Alternatives include creatine, protein supplements, and beta-alanine along with a balanced diet and good training program.

Q8: Is it legal to buy SARMs or Prohormones in my country?

Prohormones are banned in many countries. SARMs are usually legal for research, but they are not approved for people to take. Check local laws before buying.

Q9: How quickly will I see results using SARMs vs. Prohormones?

Prohormones show results in 2-4 weeks. SARMs usually show results in 4-6 weeks.

Q10: Can women use SARMs or Prohormones?

Some SARMs, like Ostarine, can be used by women. Prohormones are not recommended because they can cause unwanted side effects like facial hair growth.