MK 2866 (Ostarine)
Other Name(s): Ostarine, Enobosarm
Half Life: 24 hours
Ostarine, also known as MK-2866 is a SARM (selective androgen receptor module) created by GTx to avoid and treat muscle wasting. It can, later on, be a cure for avoiding atrophy (total wasting away of a body part), cachexia, sarcopenia, and Hormone or Testosterone Replacement Therapy.
This type of SARM cannot only retain lean body mass but as well as increase it. Ostarine is often mistaken as S1 but S1 was created earlier and is no longer going through more expansion.
Benefits of Ostarine
MK-2866, although totally safe, can provide subtle but consistent gains in muscle, size, and strength in your rodent. It’s safe to say you can easily gain 5-10 lbs of muscle over several weeks.
What’s most important is that the gains you receive are lasting and will stay with you for the most part. If your diet and workouts are on point, you will definitely see some amazing results from MK-2866.
Some of the other benefits include:
- Increased lean mass gains
- Better strength
- More endurance
- Joint healing abilities
- Anabolic (even at doses as low as 3 mg)
In fact, many athletes take Ostarine for those very reasons, like Amanda Ribas UFC fighter who was tested positive for the compound in June of 2017 and suspended for two years over it. Now this gives you a pretty good idea of just how powerful MK-2866 (Ostarine) is.
The Science Behind Ostarine
SARMS bind to the androgen receptor (AR), which then show osteo (bone) and myo (muscular) selective anabolic activity as a result.
This tying and stimulation intensifies protein synthesis and builds muscle.
Ostarine causes muscle growth in a similar way to steroids, but without the negative effects, you would typically experience like on the prostate or other secondary sexual organs.
Benefits
MK-2866 uses its anabolic effects on muscle tissue fully so it’s not only a potential cure for muscle wasting ailments but brings incredible benefits to athletes who want to build muscle. It is also an agent to reduce degeneration during recovery times from serious surgery or similar conditions.
*Ostarine has undergone 8 scientific trials by GTx with about 600 subjects plus 3 efficiency studies. A 4-month Phase IIb medical trial including 159 patients have shown a complete boost in total lean muscle mass compared to placebo and the secondary goal of increasing muscle strength.
In terms of bodybuilding, Ostarine users have proven that MK-2866 can help improve lean muscle mass and strength levels.
- Muscle Building. This compound does not only help in preventing loss of muscle tissue but also helps you gain lean muscle mass. It works amazingly for you whether you want to lose body fat or gain muscle mass. The best thing about this compound is that it ensures that your gains are actual gains and not water. It does not lead to fat gain or water retention, unlike other steroids.This basically means that the results will be a bit slow but you can be sure that the muscles you gain lean muscles and not just packed water or fat. Water retention can be very frustrating at times, which is why users love this compound.
- Burning fat. Ostarine is a very effective weight loss tool. It ensures that you burn more calories than you intake. Losing weight can be very difficult at times and exercise alone can not give you the results that you want to see. So adding this compound in your diet can be of great help. Many users have confirmed that they have witnessed a considerable reduction in their body fat after cycling with this compound.
- Other benefits. This compound does not lead to gynecomastia. So you don’t need to worry about developing female-like breasts. Moreover, Ostarine improves recovery time so you can work out more frequently. Lastly, it will be easier for you to maintain your gains because they’re actual lean muscles and not fat or water.
Ostarine for Preventing Injuries
The effects of MK-2866 convert to anabolism in bone and skeletal muscle tissue, which means it could be used in the future for different purposes such as osteoporosis and as a simultaneous treatment with drugs that decrease bone density. So, it has great use as a compound for injury recovery, specifically bone and tendon related injuries.
Users report running MK-677 alongside MK-2866 to combat nagging injuries, it is often referred to as the healing stack. Studies have shown that Ostarine (MK-2866) is stronger than Testosterone when it comes down to injury prevention.
Ostarine Dosage
Benefits of the well known SARM Ostarine have been documented in countless studies with effective dosages ranging from 25mg to 50mg per 24-36 hours.
There is no evidence that surpassing the 50mg dosage will provide any increases in benefits.
Even though MK2866 resembles a mild version LGD 4033, it’s duration and tolerability throughout multiple studies have demonstrated safety and effectiveness for up to 6 months (24 weeks).
The best Ostarine dosage would be roughly 20 to 30mg for about 6 weeks. You can choose to extend the cycle if you are making good progress, however that would be completely up to you.
This compound is taken orally in the form of solution or tablets. In tablet form, the recommended dosage is 1-2 tablets per day. Experienced users can increase their dose up to 3 tablets.
The recommended cycle duration is 6-8 weeks and it is reported that the results start becoming visible in the 4th week of use.
Also, when your cycle is completed, make sure to take a 4 week break before starting the next round and take proper post cycle therapy meanwhile in order to recover from all the health damage.
For Bulking
Ostarine shines best when used for gaining lean muscle (bulking) or putting on extra size. The Ostarine dosage for bulking is 20-30 mg for 4-6 weeks. PCT is not necessary. An increase of 6 lbs. of lean, keepable gains can be observed during this period. That is pretty amazing if you think about it, we all know how hard it can be to gain and keep lean muscle.
You can take Ostarine as high as 40 mg for 8 weeks BUT only if you weigh 210 lbs. Suppression is expected in higher doses so PCT after a cycle is a must.
For Recomping
Ostarine shines in recomping due to its nutrient portioning results. A calorie is used to build muscle which helps in weight loss and enhancing muscle mass and strength. Suggested dosing is 10-20 mg for 4-8 weeks.
*Your diet must contain 30% of lean sources of protein to achieve the best recomp result. Diet is very important when recomping, and I would recommend you go with either a bulking or cutting cycle.
For Cutting
MK-2866 can help cut whilst preserving muscle gains and decreasing calories. The most used ostarine dosage for cutting is 10-20 mg for 4-6 weeks. You can always choose to do a longer cutting cycle depending on how things work out. Many users report that Ostarine really shines during a caloric deficit. Because it was designed to treat muscle wasting it has the capacity to hold onto your lean muscle mass when eating much less.
Timing
MK-2866 has a half-life of 24 hours. Each Ostarine dosage should be taken ONCE per day. Whenever you want to dose the MK-2866 is up to you. For example, you could take your dosage every morning with your breakfast. It is important to dose each day because of the 24 hour half life, so make sure that you don’t forget the ostarine dosage.
Ostarine Side Effects
MK-2866 is as good as side effect free. The only threat is that it’s possible to experience some mild natural test shut down in cycles over 4 weeks, but the time between cycles are only 4 weeks. Just make sure you stay within the recommended dosages and you will be fine. We all know that a higher dosage of MK-2866 can increase the Ostarine side effects so I would recommend using roughly 20mg a day to stay safe.
The great thing about SARMs is that you barely experience any side effects at all. As you might already know, stuff like prohormones or anabolic steroids are a nightmare when it comes to side effects. The most reported Ostarine side effects include:
- Slight Nausea (Only after taking the first few dosages)
- Lethargy (This one is really dose dependent)
Make sure to keep in mind that there is no real proof that these side effects are connected to the use of MK-2866. You have to make sure you are buying real MK-2866. I will tell you more about one of my favorite sources to buy SARMs later in this article.
PCT is not really required for an Ostarine only cycle. Although, if you want to play it safe I would recommend going with a Test Booster and a Cycle support product. They contain a lot of natural ingredients which are able to offer you some protection during a cycle.
Ostarine does not have any notable side effects. However, it may lead to some mild ones like a slight increase in your estrogen level. This slight increase can at times be beneficial for you as it helps heal injured joints. It is recommended that you avoid taking any anti-estrogen medication during the cycle as it may lead to hormonal imbalance.
Although it usually believed that SARM products affect androgen levels, they don’t do so. Ostarine does not affect liver or heart health. Also, it does not cause any harm to your sexual organs and similarly it does not cause issues like acne and hair loss.
Another good thing about this compound is that it does not involve a dramatic reduction in testosterone levels. However, slight suppression might occur, but it all depends on the individual.
Stacking MK 2866 (For MAX Results)
Not only is Ostarine a fantastic stand-alone SARM, but it works great in a stack with other SARMs and its effects become amplified.
Since SARMs carry very little side effects, you can safely take more than one at a time to develop true transformation of the physique. A popular SARMs stack is MK-2866 in combination with MK-677.
Ostarine Results
This is where things get interesting. The Ostarine results are pretty amazing if you ask me. Of course, it cannot be compared to real steroids but this stuff barely has any side effects. As we all know when it comes down to Ostarine results, a picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look at the following image to see the true potential of MK-2866 (Ostarine).
These are the Ostarine results you can expect from a 4 to 6-week cycle. This guy obviously gained a significant amount of muscle whilst even losing some fat. He also appears much leaner and fuller than in the before picture. It is also worth mentioning that he is quite vascular, which is also something you can expect from MK-2866.
Of course, a good workout program and a strict diet can also help a lot in combination with Ostarine. The guy in the image above used roughly 20mgs of Ostarine, which is a moderate dose in my opinion. He mentioned that he also managed to gain some strength during his cycle. All in all, his Ostarine results are very similar to other users.
Our Final Review of Ostarine
In the end, Ostarine is one SARM I really like, mostly due to how safe and subtle it is. You won’t put on 20 lbs of solid muscle like you will with other prohormones, and it’s not as anabolic as LGD 4033.
However, Ostarine is something you can stay on for long periods of time, see long-lasting benefits and permanent results, and works very quickly. Other products like prohormones often carry crazy side effects, but with Ostarine that is not the case. I have tried Sarms4You’s Ostarine and I have to say I was very impressed, next up on my list will probably be RAD-140.