12 Before and After LGD 4033 Transformations [From Reddit]
12 Before and After LGD 4033 Transformations [From Reddit]
The Enhanced Researcher
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LGD 4033 is most people’s go-to SARM for bulking up and rivals the muscle-building ability of RAD 140 but without the hair shedding, and with a bit of water retention.
This makes LGD 4033 very appealing for bulking. The water retention results in weight gain almost overnight, giving users a much fuller look.
Based on my analysis of hundreds upon hundreds of online cycle reports, an average LGD cycle can yield gains of up to 10 lbs of weight in an 8-week cycle. Though some people report gains of up to 15 or even 20 lbs (2-4 lbs of which is typically water weight). Of course these numbers are just my own conclusions and they may not apply to every individual interested in dabbling with LGD 4033.
To give you a better idea of the results that LGD 4033 yields I crafted this article: a collection of before and after results of from real users who publicly shared their results on Reddit. The reports will cover info that the users have publicly shared, which may include:
user’s stats
dosage protocol
weight & lifts progression
diet & training protocols
PCT protocol
test base protocol
bloodwork results
reported side effects
I’ve made a high effort to bring you these detailed reports in an easy-to-read format, and included my own analysis of some of the transformations & their cycles, so you can learn from them.
If you find this useful, please share it! And a huge thank you to all the users that took the time to document and share their cycles on Reddit, the community loves you. Enjoy. If you are one of the users from the post and want me to remove you from the list, please send an email to admin (@) pathofpeds (dot) com.
User u/igotaflatire gained 12 lbs of mass during his cycle and finished off at roughly the same bodyfat % as when he started.
Stats
Before
After
Bodyweight
178 lbs | 80.7 kg
190 lbs | 86 kg
Bodyfat %
see pictures
see pictures
Bench
x
x
Squat
x
x
Deadlift
x
x
OHP
x
x
Testosterone base:
User did not do a test base
PCT:
User did not feel the need to PCT
Blood work results:
User did not do bloodwork
Reported side effects:
User reported frequent urination at night
Diet:
User did not disclose his exact caloric intake, but he was undoubtedly in a caloric surplus during his cycle as he gained 12 lbs
Training:
User did not disclose his training program
Personal Notes & Suggestions:
User u/igotaflatire had a successful bulk in which he made significant gains. I assume his diet & training were on point, and he knew what he was doing. As far as the cycle goes, the only thing I would have done differently is capped it at 8 weeks, since most users notice a halt in their progress at that point.
Ideally, I would have also done bloodwork before the cycle to find out my baseline markers, especially important for first-time users like u/igotaflatire, as there is only 1 chance to document one’s baseline.
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User u/The_Junesong experienced a dramatic increase in strength which he tracked and maintained even after the cycle was over
Gained 12 lbs of body weight while gaining very little bodyfat
Stats
Before
After
After PCT
Bodyweight
152 lbs | 68 kg
190 lbs | 75 kg
162 lbs | 73.4 kg
Bodyfat %
see pictures
see pictures
Bench
185 x 5
205 x 8
205 x 8
Squat
230 x 5
255 x 8
255 x 8
Deadlift
285 x 5
315 x 8
315 x 8
OHP
110 x 5
125 x 6
125 x 6
Rows
175 x 5
190 x 8
190 x 8
Testosterone base:
User did not do a test base
PCT:
Tamoxifen: 12.5 mg/day for 3 weeks starting at week 7 of the cycle
Clomiphene: 12.5 mg/day for 3 weeks starting at week 7 of the cycle
Blood work results:
User did not disclose doing bloodwork
Reported side effects:
Lethargy mid-cycle – common symptom of testosterone suppression
Slight blood pressure increase: 135/80 baseline to 145/82 – user states that it could be attributed to increased caffeine consumption or other factors
Increased body temperature – likely a result of overeating and water retention (user’s own comments – though I agree)
Loss of sex drive post cycle – common symptom of suppression (can be mitigated by doing a proper testosterone base)
Diet:
Aggressive caloric surplus, though user did not disclose exact calories
Training:
User ran a PPL program; Weekly volume:
Weeks 1-4: High Volume (sets per week undisclosed)
Week 5: Deload – user believed he was experiencing CNS burnout, though later concluded that he just felt lethargic due to the testosterone suppression caused by the LGD
Weeks 6-8: Moderate Volume (sets per week undisclosed)
Experience level: 10 years of casual lifting ; 4 of which serious lifting
User’s notes:
Cycle started right after a long cut
Cycle details:
LGD 4033
Week 1: 10 mg/day
Week 2: 10 mg/day
Week 3: 10 mg/day
Week 4: 10 mg/day
Week 5: 10 mg/day
Week 6: 15 mg/day
Week 7: 15 mg/day
Week 8: 15 mg/day
MK677
Week 1-8: 20 mg/day
Results:
User u/Chaser720 gained an incredible 29 lbs / 13 kg of body weight in just 8 weeks
Reported extremely good, borderline painful pumps
A significant increase across main lifts
Before
After
Bodyweight
196 lbs | 88.9 kg
225 lbs | 102 kg
Bodyfat %
see pictures
see pictures
Bench
275 lbs
300 lbs
Squat
315 lbs
355 lbs
Deadlift
495 lbs
540 lbs
OHP
x
x
Testosterone base:
User did not use a testosterone base
PCT:
User did a standard 4 week PCT with one SERM:
Tamoxifen
Week 1: 20 mg/day
Week 2: 20 mg/day
Week 3: 10 mg/day
Week 4: 10 mg/day
Blood work results:
u/Chaser720 experienced the standard increased liver enzymes and cholesterol dyslipidemia that come with LGD 4033, but also extreme suppression and complete endogenous testosterone production shutdown, which is extremely rare, but a reminder to always take into consideration individual response and have a SERM ready to go at all times
Before CycleAfter Cycle
Additionally, the user did a third testosterone test 10 weeks after the cycle: Testosterone: 376 ng/dL; HF & FSH within range (view personal notes tab to see how this could have been prevented).
Reported side effects:
Slight lethargy
Low libido
Elevated liver enzymes (bloodwork)
Low HDL; High LDL (bloodwork)
Endogenous testosterone production suppression/shutdown
Diet:
User did not disclose exact caloric intake but was definitely in a surplus
Training:
User did not disclose training protocol
Personal Notes & Suggestions:
U/Chaser720 is one of those examples that you don’t find so often, and I’m extremely thankful to him for sharing his cycle on Reddit. He experienced complete shutdown, even though on paper he shouldn’t have. A reminder that individual response is a huge variable when taking PEDs, and, that you should always do bloodwork and have a SERM ready to deploy incase the worst happens.
The only thing I would do differently is deploy a PCT protocol with 2 SERMs instead of just 1 as Tamoxifen alone is not strong enough to reverse suppression of this magnitude. U/Chaser720 reported that even after 10 weeks after his cycle his test levels were 376 (low), with LH and FSH in range.
Experience level: lifts to supplement main sport boxing / beginner lifter
User’s notes:
U/seekingadvice1389 wanted to bulk up and recover from a gallbladder removal surgery which happened 2 months before the before photo
He had a suboptimal starting point in terms of baseline testosterone levels because of the surgery, but also because he was getting off Prozac (SSRI)
Fortunately he did plenty of bloodwork and we can accurately track the effects of this cycle on his testosterone levels
Cycle details:
LGD 4033
Week 1-8: 5 mg/day
GHRP2 + CJC 1295 w/DAC
Week 1-8: 300 mcg/day (100mcg x 3 per day)
Results:
User u/seekingadvice1389 gained 24lbs | 10kg of body weight during his cycle
Massive increase across main lifts
Experienced “the best sleep of his life” (thanks to the CJC 1295)
Incredible pumps weeks 3-7
Before
After
Bodyweight
191lbs | 87 kg
213lbs | 97kg
Bodyfat %
see pictures
see pictures
Bench
220lbs | 100kg
308lbs | 140kg
Squat
264lbs | 120kg
374lbs | 170kg
Deadlift
didn’t deadlift before
485lbs / 220kg
OHP
121lbs | 55kg
165lbs | 75kg
Testosterone base:
User did not deploy a testosterone base
PCT:
Tamoxifen (20/20)
Week 1: 20 mg/day
Week 2: 20 mg/day
Blood work results:
The image includes results from:
pre-cycle (04/09/2018)
during-cycle (17/10/2018 – 2 weeks in -)
after cycle (09/01/2019 – 5 weeks after cycle / 3 weeks after PCT – )
Even though u/seekingadvice1389 started his cycle with low test levels (not recommended), he managed to fully recover even after a suppressive SARM cycle, and get his test levels to the top of the reference range with just two weeks of PCT with Tamoxifen
Had to cut cycle 2 weeks short due to gyms closing because of lockdowns
Cycle details:
LGD 4033
Week 1-6: 5 mg/day
Results:
User u/VLTXH gained 8kg of body weight in just 6 weeks, very impressive
While unfortunately he did not disclose exact lifts progression, he reported a steady increase across all lifts
Before
After
Bodyweight
185 lbs | 84 kg
202 lbs | 92 kg
Bodyfat %
see pictures
see pictures
Bench
x
x
Squat
x
x
Deadlift
x
x
OHP
x
x
Testosterone base:
User did not do a test base
PCT:
User did not feel the need to PCT
Blood work results:
User did not do bloodwork
Reported side effects:
User did not report any side effects
Diet:
User had a strict diet with a pre-planned caloric surplus during the first 3 weeks of the cycle, though after changes to his lifestyle, namely getting a new job, he continued into a dirty bulk consuming roughly 3200 – 4000 calories/day
Training:
Program: 6 days per week week:
Monday: upper body
Tuesday: lower body
Wednesday: light push
Thursday: pull
Friday: push
Saturday: legs
Sunday: rest
Volume: 20+ sets for chest/back; 15+ for all other body parts;
Personal Notes & Suggestions:
u/VLTXH is a great example of what is achievable as a novice lifter with a low dose of LGD, paired with a large caloric surplus and good training. Unfortunately, he did not get to finish his cycle, which he planned to last 8 weeks, due to gyms closing back in 2020.
User u/explodeyourbrain has one of the freakiest transformations I’ve seen thus far. He’s a lifter with 5 years of experience, who took a break and lost all of his gains. He has also done an LGD cycle prior to losing his gains, and the before and after pictures shown above, where he reports was roughly the same size as here. During the time the first picture was taken, u/explodeyourbrain explains that he was in a severely malnourished state because of his mental health. So take into account the role muscle memory and previous experience played in his freaky progress during this cycle.
Cycle details:
LGD 4033:
Week 1-8: 10 mg/day
Results:
User u/expandyourbrain gained 30 lbs of body weight while staying relatively lean with a full sixpack, one of the freakiest SARMs transformations I’ve come across – keep in mind that these gains are inflated because of muscle memory
User reported an aggressive increase across his lifts, though unfortunately did not disclose exact numbers
Before
After
Bodyweight
149 lbs | 67.5 kg
179 lbs | 81 kg
Bodyfat %
see pictures
see pictures
Bench
x
x
Squat
x
x
Deadlift
x
x
OHP
x
x
Testosterone base:
User did not do a testosterone base
PCT:
Tamoxifen; user did not disclose exact dosing
Blood work results:
User did not share bloodwork results
Reported side effects:
Headaches
Symptoms of suppression (low libido, lethargy)
Diet:
2800-3000 calories per day
Training:
User was following a 3-5x week workout regiment; exact split unspecified
u/Grapez331 did a very nice tiny dose cycle, which is not something you find that often (let alone be nicely documented)
He did not gain any body weight, despite consuming what he thought was a large caloric surplus of 3200 calories – which he speculates is due to the increase in his daily energy expenditure once he hopped on
Therefore what he assumed to be a big caloric surplus turned into a small surplus or maybe even maintenance
Cycle details:
LGD 4033:
Week 1-1.5: 5 mg/day
Week 1.5-8: 2.5 mg/day
Results:
u/Grapez331 had a great cycle and made significant strength gains, considering the tiny dose
Before
After
Bodyweight
161 lbs | 73 kg
161 lbs | 73 kg
Bodyfat %
see pictures
see pictures
Bench
250 lbs
275 lbs
Squat
335 lbs
365 lbs
Deadlift
385 lbs
405 lbs
OHP
x
x
Testosterone base:
User did not do a testosterone base
PCT:
User did not PCT
Blood work results:
User did not post bloodwork results
Reported side effects:
Insomnia (went away after lowering dose + supplementing with melatonin)
Irritability
Diet:
3200 calories/day
Training:
6 days/week PPL (push, pull, legs) with 250-500 reps/day of volume
Focus on heavy lifts, but also included a lot of supplementary isolations
Put a huge emphasis on high rep quality, mind-muscle connection, and getting a squeeze
Did shoulder flys at least 3x week with 80-100 reps per workout
Key Observations & Conclusion
Before and after pictures are the only way to track one’s progress in terms of visible changes. By analyzing not only other people’s results but also their entire setup across all training variables, you can make conclusions.
I hope this post helped you do exactly that, and that my effort was worth it. But, before you jump to conclusions about the potential of LGD 4033 for yourself, please keep in mind these factors:
1. Not everyone that does PEDs knows proper training, diet, and discipline:
PEDs are performance enhancers, not magic muscle pills, the basics need to be honed and mastered to get the most out of them.
2. Genetics play a huge role (PEDS can’t change your genetics):
If you spend hours and hours looking at cycle logs (like me), you’ll very quickly realize that 99% of the time, users that get the best results, are users that were already jacked and stacked as naturals, or showed great potential from the get-go. Simply put, Performance-Enhancing-Drugs, enhance your baseline performance.
If you have great genetics, they’ll make them even better, if you have crappy genetics, they’ll make them less crappy.
3. Individual response
Some of the users on this list got away without doing a PCT, others got completely shut down, but most did a mild PCT.
You never know how a drug will affect you, expect the best, but be prepared for the worst, and always have a SERM at hand.
Many of you guys are beginners and are oftentimes faced with misleading information regarding PED use. Companies and marketers do this in order to get you to buy a product.
Just look at the other before and after articles that show up on Google and compare them to this one.
If this article brought any value to you, I would greatly appreciate it if you shared it on your socials. Cheers.
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