Athletes have always wanted to enhance their performance, but as the medical knowledge has progressed, the selection of available doping drugs has expanded. Today, many have turned to a variety of chemicals called "Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators" (SARMs).
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) are a class of therapeutic compounds that have similar properties to anabolic agents, but with reduced androgenic properties. This property allows SARMs the advantage of androgen-receptor specificity, tissue selectivity, and the lack of steroid-related side effects. Some potential side effects of anabolic steroid use include acne, liver damage, breast tissue development, and shrinking of the testicle in males, and deepening of the voice, growth of hair on the face, stomach, upper back, and abnormal menstrual cycles in females. SARMs have the ability to differentiate between anabolic and androgenic activities, and this provides the potential for therapeutic opportunities in a variety of medical conditions including muscle-wasting diseases, osteoporosis, cancer, and hypogonadism.
-- USADA
SARMs are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2008, some banned substances include Ostarine, Andarine and Cardarine.Between 2012 and 2014, over 30 detections of these substances were made.
