Ostarine Only Cycle? | Doctor's Analysis

Summary

In this video, Dr. [__] explores Ostarine, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), discussing its pharmacokinetics, mild anabolic effects, and potential use in cutting cycles. The script reviews studies on rats and humans, noting Ostarine's selectivity, minimal suppression of LH and FSH, and liver toxicity concerns. It suggests a daily dosage not exceeding six milligrams and a cycle duration of eight weeks to avoid side effects, emphasizing the importance of liver support and the limited benefits of higher doses.

Takeaways

• 🚫 Dr. [__] does not condone the use of illegal substances or PEDs but provides an opinion based on research.
• 🔬 Ostarine, also known as S22 or a nobo song, is a well-researched SARM with mild effects, suitable for cutting cycles.
• 💊 Ostarine is highly bioavailable, meaning it is well absorbed when taken orally and peaks within an hour of intake.
• 📊 Pharmacokinetic studies suggest daily dosing, with 3-30 mg daily for 8 weeks being common, though the highest studied dosage is 3 mg for 12 weeks.
• 🐁 In rat studies, Ostarine was found to be highly selective, increasing muscle mass without affecting the prostate or suppressing LH and FSH levels.
• 🔄 Ostarine is a weak antagonist of the progesterone receptor, which may lead to elevated prolactin levels and potential issues with gyno.
• 👵👴 A phase one trial in postmenopausal women showed lean mass gain without significant changes in strength.
• 👴👵 A phase two trial in elderly individuals found a significant increase in lean mass with a dosage as low as 3 mg, along with improved insulin sensitivity and decreased triglycerides.
• ⚠️ Ostarine can cause liver enzyme elevations at low dosages, indicating liver toxicity that is more potent than traditional oral steroids.
• 🏥 Another phase 2 trial in cancer patients with cachexia showed similar lean mass gains with 1 mg being as effective as 3 mg, with common side effects being nausea and diarrhea.
• 💪 Ostarine is not reported to be great for gaining size but is anecdotally known to help maintain size during cutting cycles.
• ⚠️ Dr. [__] suggests that going over 6 mg daily may be pointless due to a lack of additional anabolic benefits and increased risk of side effects and toxicity.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is discussing Osterine and an Osterine-only cycle, including its effects, dosages, and research findings.

What is Osterine also known as?

Osterine is also known by names such as S22 and Anobosong.

Why is Osterine considered mild among anabolic agents?

Osterine is considered mild because it is highly selective, attaching to muscles to increase size without affecting other tissues like the prostate, and it doesn't cause significant suppression of LH and FSH in rats.

What is the bioavailability of Osterine when taken as a tablet?

Osterine is very bioavailable, meaning it is highly absorbed in the stomach when taken as a tablet.

What is the recommended dosing frequency for Osterine based on pharmacokinetics?

Daily dosing is recommended for Osterine due to its presence in the system for around 14 to 21 hours after intake.

What dosages were used in the studies mentioned in the video?

The highest dosage used in the studies was 3 milligrams for 12 weeks, but forum reports suggest dosages of 5 to 30 milligrams daily for eight weeks.

What was the outcome of the phase one trial involving healthy menopausal women?

The phase one trial showed a lean mass gain without a significant change in strength.

What were the findings from the phase two trial involving healthy elderly women and men?

The phase two trial found that individuals taking 3 milligrams of Osterine gained about 1.3 kilograms in lean mass, improved insulin sensitivity, and decreased triglycerides, but also experienced a decrease in HDL.

Why might Osterine cause an elevation in prolactin levels?

Osterine is a weak antagonist of the progesterone receptor, and antagonists to progesterone can sometimes cause an elevation in prolactin levels.

What liver-related side effect was observed in some patients during the trials?

Elevations in liver enzymes were observed in a few patients, with one having to discontinue therapy due to drug-induced liver toxicity.

What is the speaker's hypothesis regarding the optimal dosage of Osterine for anabolic effects?

The speaker hypothesizes that the optimal dosage of Osterine for anabolic effects is around 0.1 milligrams per day in rats, which converts to approximately 6 milligrams daily for an average 70 kg human, suggesting that going over this dosage may not provide additional benefits.

Why is the speaker concerned about the use of Osterine in higher dosages?

The speaker is concerned because higher dosages of Osterine may not provide additional anabolic benefits but could increase the risk of side effects and toxicity, especially liver-related issues.

What is the speaker's recommendation regarding the duration of an Osterine cycle?

The speaker recommends limiting the duration of an Osterine cycle to eight weeks to minimize the risk of suppression and toxicity.

What precautions does the speaker suggest for liver health when using Osterine?

The speaker suggests taking extra precautions for liver health, such as using liver support supplements, due to the liver toxicity associated with Osterine.

What is the speaker's view on the use of Osterine for muscle mass gain?

The speaker believes that while Osterine can help maintain lean mass during cutting, using it at higher dosages for muscle mass gain is not beneficial and may lead to unnecessary side effects.

Outlines

00:00

💊 Introduction to Ostarine and Cycle Discussion

The speaker, Dr. [Name], introduces the topic of an Ostarine-only cycle, a follow-up to a previous video comparing Ostarine to Anavar. They clarify that they do not endorse the use of illegal substances but will share their insights based on research. Ostarine, also known as S22 or Anobosyn, is a well-researched SARM known for its mild effects and suitability for cutting cycles. It's bioavailable, meaning it can be taken orally and doesn't require injection. The pharmacokinetics show it peaks within an hour and stays in the system for 14 to 21 hours, recommending daily dosing. Studies range from 3mg for 12 weeks, with anecdotal evidence suggesting 5 to 30mg daily for 8 weeks. The speaker plans to discuss the background and their opinion on an Ostarine-only cycle.

05:01

🧪 Ostarine's Pharmacokinetics and Selectivity

The speaker delves into the pharmacokinetics of Ostarine, highlighting its high bioavailability and absorption when taken orally. They discuss the drug's peak time and duration in the system, emphasizing the recommended daily dosing. Turning to studies, the speaker references rat studies showing Ostarine's selectivity for muscle growth without affecting tissues like the prostate. They also mention the lack of suppression on LH and FSH levels, contrasting it with other SARMs like RAD 140 or LGD 4033. The speaker notes Ostarine's weak antagonist effect on the progesterone receptor, which could potentially elevate prolactin levels. Human studies are then summarized, with a focus on a phase one trial involving postmenopausal women and a phase two trial on elderly individuals, both showing significant lean mass gains and improved insulin sensitivity, albeit with some concerning liver enzyme elevations.

10:03

🚫 Warnings on Ostarine's Liver Toxicity and Dosage Considerations

The speaker addresses the liver toxicity associated with Ostarine, warning that it can be more potent than traditional oral steroids. They advise taking liver support seriously when using SARMs. Moving on to dosage, the speaker suggests that going beyond 6mg daily may be pointless due to diminishing returns on muscle mass gain, as indicated by a graph from a previous video. They argue that the optimal dosage may be around 0.1mg per day in rats, translating to approximately 6mg daily for a 70kg human. The speaker also discusses the potential for Ostarine to maintain lean mass during a cut but cautions against higher dosages due to increased toxicity and suppression. They recommend an 8-week cycle duration to minimize these risks.

Keywords

💡Osterine

Osterine, also known as S22 or ANOROS, is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM). It is central to the video's theme as it is the substance being discussed in the context of a 'cycle,' which refers to a period of use for performance enhancement. The script mentions that Osterine is one of the mildest SARMs and is often used during cutting phases to maintain muscle mass without significant anabolic effects.

💡Anavar

Anavar is a brand name for the oral anabolic steroid oxandrolone. It is mentioned in the script as a comparison to Osterine, indicating that the video is providing an alternative perspective on using Osterine in a cycle instead of Anavar. Anavar is known for its use in bodybuilding for its anabolic effects with relatively low androgenic side effects.

💡Pharmacokinetics

Pharmacokinetics is the study of how a drug moves through the body, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. In the context of the video, it is used to describe the bioavailability and duration of Osterine in the body, emphasizing that it is absorbed well when taken orally and has a relatively long half-life, suggesting daily dosing is recommended.

💡Selective

The term 'selective' in pharmacology refers to the drug's ability to act on specific targets without affecting others. The script notes that Osterine is highly selective, attaching to muscle tissues and promoting growth without impacting the prostate, which is a desirable characteristic in SARMs for bodybuilders aiming to avoid side effects on non-target tissues.

💡LH and FSH

LH (Luteinizing Hormone) and FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) are gonadotropins that play a key role in the reproductive system. The script mentions that Osterine does not affect LH and FSH levels, suggesting minimal suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which is an important consideration for users concerned about hormonal balance.

💡Progesterone Receptor

The progesterone receptor is a protein that progesterone binds to in order to exert its effects. The script mentions Osterine as a weak antagonist of the progesterone receptor, which could potentially lead to elevated prolactin levels. This is relevant as it may cause side effects such as gynecomastia, an issue for bodybuilders using SARMs.

💡Lean Mass

Lean mass refers to the body mass excluding fat, typically consisting of muscle, bone, and water. The video discusses how Osterine can help maintain or even increase lean mass during cutting cycles, which is a key benefit for individuals seeking to reduce body fat while preserving muscle size and strength.

💡Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin sensitivity is the body's ability to respond to the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels. The script notes that Osterine improved insulin sensitivity in elderly subjects, suggesting a potential benefit for metabolic health, which is an important aspect for individuals concerned with overall health and fitness.

💡Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood and are an indicator of cardiovascular risk. The video mentions that Osterine decreased triglyceride levels, which could be interpreted as a positive effect on cardiovascular health, although it also notes a decrease in HDL, which may counteract this benefit.

💡SHBG

SHBG (Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin) is a protein that binds to sex hormones, affecting their availability. The script mentions that Osterine decreased SHBG levels, which could potentially increase the effectiveness of other steroids if stacked with Osterine, by making them more available to receptor sites.

💡Liver Toxicity

Liver toxicity refers to harmful effects on the liver, often caused by drugs or chemicals. The video emphasizes that Osterine, like other SARMs, can cause liver enzyme elevations, indicating liver stress or damage. This is a critical consideration for users, as liver health is paramount, and the script advises taking liver support during use.

💡Cachexia

Cachexia is a syndrome characterized by severe weight loss, muscle wasting, and weakness, often associated with chronic diseases like cancer. The script discusses a study where Osterine was used in cancer patients with cachexia, noting its effects on lean mass gain, which is relevant for understanding the potential therapeutic applications of SARMs beyond bodybuilding.

💡HCG

HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is a hormone that can stimulate the testes to produce testosterone. The video suggests using HCG to combat suppression side effects when using SARMs like Osterine, indicating a strategy for maintaining hormonal balance during a cycle.

💡Estrogen

Estrogen is a primary female sex hormone that can have various effects when present in higher levels in males, such as gynecomastia. The script notes that Osterine does not appear to be estrogenic, which is a desirable characteristic for users aiming to avoid estrogen-related side effects.

💡Aromatase Inhibitor (AI)

An aromatase inhibitor is a drug that reduces the conversion of androgens to estrogens. The video mentions that an AI would not be suitable for use with Osterine due to its low estrogen levels, instead suggesting the use of a serum to manage estrogen to testosterone ratios and prevent gynecomastia.

Highlights

Introduction to the discussion of Ostarine (MK-2866) and its effects in an Ostarine-only cycle.

Ostarine is also known as S22, ANO, or MK-2866 and is one of the most researched SARMs.

Anecdotal evidence suggests Ostarine is mild and effective for cutting due to its minimal anabolic effects.

Pharmacokinetics of Ostarine show high bioavailability and a peak within an hour of intake.

Studies suggest dosages of 3-30 mg daily for 8 weeks, with a recommended daily dosing.

Rat studies show Ostarine to be highly selective, affecting muscles without impacting the prostate.

Ostarine does not affect LH and FSH levels, indicating minimal suppression in rats.

Ostarine is a weak antagonist of the progesterone receptor, potentially causing elevated prolactin levels.

Phase one trial in postmenopausal women showed lean mass gain without significant strength changes.

Phase two trial in elderly subjects found a significant increase in lean mass with 3 mg dosage.

Ostarine improved insulin sensitivity and decreased triglycerides in elderly subjects.

A decrease in HDL levels at low dosages indicates Ostarine's potency and potential cardiovascular risks.

Liver enzyme elevations were observed in some patients, indicating liver toxicity concerns.

Phase 2 trial in cachectic cancer patients showed similar lean mass gains with lower dosages.

Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and transient liver enzyme elevations.

Hypothesis on why Ostarine may not be effective for size gain at dosages higher than 6 mg.

The optimal dosage for anabolic effects in humans is suggested to be around 6 mg daily based on rat studies.

Duration of Ostarine cycles should be limited to 8 weeks to minimize suppression and toxicity.

The importance of liver support when using SARMs due to their liver toxicity.

Ostarine's effectiveness in maintaining lean mass during cutting but not for significant size gain.

Transcripts

hi guys welcome back to the channel i'm

dr [ __ ] and today we are going to

discuss osterine and an osterine only

cycle

so this is a follow-up video to the

video i released yesterday comparing

osterine to anavar

so some individuals wanted me

to make another video on an osterine

only cycle and what i what i think of it

personally

obviously i don't condone the use of

illegal substances or peds

but i will give my opinion on the

research remember this is not medical

advice

so austrian is also known by many other

names such as s22 and a nobo song or

something like that and it's one of the

most researched psalms and anecdotal

evidence on the internet would suggest

that it's one of the mildest arms and

best to use when doing a cut since it

isn't particularly anabolic in

the fact that it won't gain you a lot of

muscle mass but it'll help maintain your

size while cutting so first i'll just go

over some background information and

then i will say what i think about an

osterine only cycle

so first of all let's look at the

pharmacokinetics so it is very

bioavailable meaning it's highly

absorbed in the stomach when taken via

you know it as a tablet

which means that you don't have to

inject it um it peaks within an hour or

so of intake and it lost it'll be in

your system for around 14 to 21 hours

so daily dosing is recommended

um

in terms of studies three gr milligrams

for 12 weeks is the highest these

studies ever went to however um reports

on forums usually suggest five to thirty

milligrams daily for eight weeks but

let's look at the studies and see what

the studies suggest

so first we'll look at the rat studies

and

see how it reacts in rats

so in rat studies ostering was shown to

be highly selective meaning it

attached to the muscles and made muscles

bigger without affecting other tissues

such as the prostate

furthermore which was surprising to me

because

other studies haven't demonstrated this

effect as well before but lh and fsh was

not affected meaning there was minimal

suppression in these rats

and um if we look at rad 140 or lgd 4033

these are actually have been shown to be

suppressive in rats and so is anavar and

obviously s23 is highly po

potent at suppressing lh and fsh

what is also interesting is it was found

to be a weak antagonist of the

progesterone receptor and what this

means in terms of clinical application

is that um it's well known that

antagonists to progesterone do sometimes

cause an elevation in prolactin so

prolactin may be an issue for some i did

not know about this effect until

yesterday where someone pointed it out

to me and i thought it was very

interesting

now let's see how it fares in human

studies so the first or phase one trial

was done on healthy menopausal women

three milligrams for 12 weeks they just

noticed the typical thing lean mass gain

however they didn't know change in

strength now or the change in strength

was not significant

um this study was a bit of a boring one

so we'll move on to the next which i

referenced yesterday and this phase two

trial was done in elderly women and men

healthy elderly women and men and they

looked at varying dosages

three milligrams was the highest used

and they did it for 12 weeks they found

that the individuals taking three

milligrams gained about 1.3 kilograms in

mass lean mass that is

which is a very significant amount

especially for the dosage they use

that's a quite a low dosage and you

wouldn't really find that with your

typical oral steroids such as an

increase in lean mass at such a low

dosage

furthermore it actually improved their

insulin sensitivity and decreased

triglycerides triglycerides being a

some like to use it as a marker of

cardiovascular risk

interestingly though at such a low dose

it decreased hdl quite substantially

which is

not a good sign which means it's more

potent at such a low dose

because things like anova typically do

not cause such drastic changes at a low

dose but remember slimes are stronger at

lower dosages and you can expect more

side effect

effects at lower dosages

in terms of estrogen free and total

testosterone those were not altered

which was interesting fsh and lh in men

was also not altered however in women it

did decrease slightly

which suggests that it might not be very

suppressive especially to men

shbg decreased meaning oh well

significantly meaning that if you were

to stack it with another steroid it

would make that other steroid more

available to attach to the receptors so

it could be useful in stacking

what was problematic however is that

there were elevations in the patient's

liver enzymes

um in a few of the patients and one had

to discontinue therapy because they had

evidence of disease

drug induced liver toxicity

so at these low dosages they are quite

potent and quite toxic

so in another phase 2 trial done in

cancer patients suffering from cachexia

dosages of one milligram and three

milligrams were compared to placebo

and what was interesting is that the one

milligram group actually had the same if

not more lean mass gain than the three

milligram group

again a common side effect was nausea

and diarrhea and a few individuals had

transient elevations in their liver

enzymes all of these

disappeared on discontinuation

the reason i think that the one

milligram group had more lean mass gain

than the three milligram group is that

the three milligram group had more

evidence of nausea and diarrhea meaning

they probably did not consume as much

food as a one milligram group so this

would suggest that three milligrams is

quite potent and could might not be

beneficial to gaining size if you cannot

eat

currently there are phase 3 trials going

on demonstrating similar effects for

lean

lean tissue gain

so let's look at an osterine only cycle

and see what you should expect if you

are currently using one i do not suggest

you do one

at all um but let's see hypothetically

if someone were to do an ostrin only

cycle as i mentioned it is possibly one

of the least suppressive compounds i

have come across in the research however

anecdotal reports of bodybuilders using

higher dosages on forums does suggest it

is suppressive however not to the extent

of traditional oral steroids

it doesn't appear to be estrogenic so it

doesn't convert to estrogen however

might possibly decrease testosterone

which could decrease estrogen

however this wasn't shown in the studies

but at higher dosages this may change

especially if there is suppression

the only issue is that with the decrease

of testosterone the testosterone to

estrogen ratio is changed meaning you

could possibly have gynecomastia as a

result of that and therefore a serum

would be most applicable for this case

to prevent gyno you do not want an a.i

because your estrogen levels will always

be already be low however they'll be

high in comparison to testosterone but

you don't want to lower your estrogen

lower than it already is because then

you come in then you have more side

effects than you already do

i also suggest that if you do want to

try combat these um suppression side

effects combining

hcg or human chorionic gonadotropin

along with the psalm

might help with the symptoms of

suppression if you do experience them

now

what i want to mention is the liver this

is a massive issue which i don't think

is spoken about in the bodybuilding

community especially in the science

community and that's that psalms are

much more liver toxic

than

traditional oral steroids

even more potent than compounds like

anadrol i've well milligram per

milligram that is

but

in studies with anadrol at 50 milligrams

they have not demonstrated this level of

liver toxicity as three milligrams of

austrian has or perhaps they have but it

would be a similar

similar degree

this means that it's really important to

take care of your liver when on psarms

and not just ignore the fact that your

liver could be affected when on psalms

just er people assume that swarms are

safe and that they don't cause these

side effects however it appears in the

literature that at low dosages those

lower than

what most people take these side effects

do occur and so i think it's important

just to take the extra precaution and

use a liver support

now for the part that everyone wants to

know about what about muscle mass what

could you expect in terms of muscle mass

so remember lean mass gains were

noticeable even at one milligram was

equivalent to three milligrams in the

one study

anecdotally most people don't report

that it's great for size however they do

report that it does help keeping on to

size when cutting but i have an

interesting hypothesis about about why

austrian is not good for size and why

austrine should not be used at a dose

higher than six milligrams

so if we look at this graph which i

displayed in the previous video the top

curve is levita annie muscle so

levita annie muscle is what is used to

test the anabolic ability of a drug in a

rat they look at the size of that

so one would traditionally expect that

as the doses increase the

effect or anabolic ability of the drug

also decreases however we look here at

plateaus almost completely which means

that over a certain point there is

literally no point of taking this drug

because you will just accumulate side

effects and actually have no additional

muscle mass gain

and what point would this be and at what

point would this be

well if we look at this graph it's about

at point one milligrams per day in the

rat

the effects seem to decrease ever so

slightly and 0.1 seems to be the most

optimal so you'll get the most optimal

anabolic effect so 0.1 milligram per day

in a rat if we use various conversion

factors this converts to about

0.083 milligrams per kg

or milligram per kg per day in humans

therefore the average 70 kg interven

individual

would need

or would take something like six

milligrams daily

and going over six milligrams daily is

almost pointless because as you see

in the graph i just displayed

there seems to be no anabolic benefit

therefore i would argue that there is

not much point of going over six

milligrams is that three milligrams

there only there's already evidence of

toxicity and going over six milligrams

may accumulate this to a point where

osterine isn't safe at all to run it

still isn't safe to use but it's even

less safe when used over these drug

dosages

so again it does seem like austrian can

hold on to lean mass as demonstrated in

the studies they lost fat mass while

building one to two kgs of lean mass but

as i said higher dosages seem kind of

pointless

the duration should be limited to eight

weeks however these studies were done

for 12 weeks but as you extend the

duration of your cycle

suppression will become more of an issue

and so will toxicity

as that will accumulate

eventually

so i hope you enjoyed this video if you

did leave a comment below like subscribe

and i'll see you in the next one