SARMs (selective androgen receptor modulators)are a group of investigational androgen receptors that have anabolic characteristics. SARMs are gaining much attention because they work uniquely, as they selectively attach to androgen receptors in the body. When they attach to the receptors, that's the time that muscle recovery, growth, and more will start to rise.
The way to big, strong muscles is long and requires hard work in a gym.
But researchers may have found a shortcut where the muscles grow by themselves.
Scientists have actually succeeded, by means of gene therapy, to increase the lean body mass and the strength of macaque monkeys.
The experiment was simple enough, the researchers just injected the gene follistatin (FS344) directly into the monkeys right thigh muscles.It has been shown that follistatin can block myostatin, a molecule that down-regulates musclegrowth, but strengthens tendons.
Eight weeks after the injection the circumference of the monkeys right thigh muscles, had on average gone up 15 percent compared with the left thigh.
A study done on two of the monkeys showed that musclestrength in the right leg was increased by respectively 12 and 36 per cent compared to the untreated leg!The Follistatin is injected by means of a viral vector, that is a Adeno Associated Virus used as a transport for the drug that is injected.It is a common method called Gene Therapy, and has been used in humans with other drugs.The study on the monkeys showed no negative side effects.This therapy is being developed for use in patients with severe muscle dystrophy and other muscle wasting disorders.Clinical trials on humans are due to start in 2011 and Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Ohio has already gained funding for the study.