How Long Each SARM Stays in Your System – Detection Time

Every performance-enhancing drug (PED), including SARMs and other research chemicals (RCs), has its own unique properties in terms of metabolization and clearance from your system.

How Long Do SARMs Stay Detectable?

Different SARMs and RCs will remain in your system for varying periods, leaving metabolites in your urine, blood, and hair. The principle by which you get caught using them is the same as with any other performance-enhancing drug: doping tests scan for the presence of these metabolites in your urine or blood.

Most SARMs are proven to be detectable from 9 to 21 days after a single dose administration. This varies from SARM to SARM, and some have little research behind them, making their detectability time still unknown.

Detection Times of Specific SARMs

The following detection times are based on the latest doping control research by organizations such as the Institute for Doping in Moscow. They tested urine samples following the days and weeks from subjects who were given a single dose of a SARM or performance-enhancing research chemical.

All of the research papers referenced throughout this article are linked at the very bottom under the “References” tab.

Ostarine (MK-2866)

• Ostarine is detectable in urine for approximately 2 weeks after a single dose administration.
  Ostarine was tested in a controlled single-dose administration study of 30mg in different volunteers. Urine was collected for the following 3 weeks, and Ostarine metabolites were detectable in urine for ~ 2 weeks after the 30mg administration across all volunteers.

Andarine (S4)

• Andarine is detectable in urine for approximately 2 weeks after a single dose administration.
  Similar to Ostarine, Andarine was tested in a controlled single-dose administration study where different volunteers were given 60mg. Urine was then collected for the following 3 weeks, and Andarine metabolites were detectable in urine for ~ 2 weeks after the 60mg administration across all volunteers.

Ligandrol (LGD 4033)

• LGD 4033 is detectable in urine for up to 20.5 days.
  Multiple elimination studies have been conducted to test for metabolites after giving volunteers micro- and normal doses of LGD 4033. It was shown to be detectable as early as 11 days after a tiny dose of 50 µg, with a maximum detection time of 20.5 days, during which 11 metabolites were detected.

Testolone (RAD-140)

• RAD-140 is detectable in urine for up to 8 days.
  RAD 140 was tested in a controlled single-dose administration study where volunteers were given 10 mg. RAD 140 was shown to be detectable in urine for at least 8 days after administration.

YK-11

• YK-11 is detectable in urine for up to 48 hours after administration.

S-23

• The detectability period of S-23 is unknown as it has not been thoroughly researched for doping control.

LGD-3303

• The detectability period of LGD-3303 is unknown as it has not been thoroughly researched for doping control.

ACP-105

• The detectability period of ACP-105 is unknown as there is no human data at the time of writing.
  However, a study examined its detection in racehorses, finding that 19 metabolites were detected in ACP-105 drug-administered equine urine samples, suggesting that ACP-105 and its metabolites were detectable in urine for up to 72 hours.

Ibutamoren (MK-677)

• MK-677 is detectable in urine for 2 weeks.
  MK-677’s detectability was tested in a single-dose administration study where volunteers were given 10 mg. Urine was collected in the following weeks, and MK-677 metabolites were detected up to the 12th day following the single-dose administration.

Cardarine

• Cardarine is detectable in urine for up to 40 days.

Will SARMs Fail a Drug Test?

None of the SARMs will cause you to fail standard drug tests. You will only be caught if you are tested for doping agents by a sports organization that has explicitly banned SARMs and/or follows WADA’s anti-doping policies.

SARMs will not show up on military, work, police, or firefighter drug tests. However, if you somehow end up getting fake or tainted products that contain traces of anabolic steroids, you might fail a drug test for something you didn’t know you were taking.

Conclusion

If you’re expecting a drug test that explicitly bans SARMs, be prepared to stop taking your SARM for at least double its current known metabolite detectability status (just to be safe).

Most of the studies quoted in this article are not large-scale studies that include tens or hundreds of participants, nor did they test for metabolites after long-period SARM use. It would be fair to assume that the longer you use a SARM, the longer it would take for the metabolites to clear from your body.

Factors such as weight, height, activity level, and hormone panel come into play as well, making the predictability of clearance incredibly variable. Be cautious and critical. Good luck.

References

1. Applicability of routine analytical procedures to detect andarine and ostarine. A comparative study

2. Investigations into the elimination profiles and metabolite ratios of micro-dosed selective androgen receptor modulator LGD-4033 for doping control purposes
3. In vitro and in vivo metabolism of RAD140, a novel non-steroidal SARM

4. Studies on the in vivo metabolism of the SARM YK11: Identification and characterization of metabolites potentially useful for doping controls

5. Urinary metabolism of ibutamoren, a small molecule growth hormone secretagogue

6. Detection of PPARδ agonists GW1516 and GW0742 and their metabolites in human urine

7. Detection and identification of ACP-105 and its metabolites in equine urine using LC/MS/MS after oral administration

A document I originally made for my clients. A neat map to the sphere of PEDs and supplements.

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