Rad 140 is known as one of the best SARMs for gaining lean muscle mass and especially strength. If done right, a Rad 140 cycle can bring gains of up to 8-10 lbs of lean muscle during an 8-week cycle.
Unfortunately many users run into contradicting information regarding its proper useand end up with Frankenstein cycles, suffering easily preventable side effects, and achieving sub-par results.
This article is a comprehensive guide based on the latest academic data (clinical & animal trials alike), and the mass analysis of hundreds upon hundreds of anecdotal reports and experiences online. Taking into consideration not only the latest academic data, but also heaps of empirical data, therefore following the most concrete practices in the enhanced bodybuilding community. Enjoy.
/*! elementor - v3.18.0 - 04-12-2023 */ .elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}Rad 140, or Testolone, is a SARM originally made to treat muscle wasting conditions and breast cancer.
There is also data on rats using Rad 140 as a TRT alternative, but there is no evidence to extrapolate it as an effective Testosterone alternative for humans. It has also been shown to be neuroprotective in rats.
In the realm of enhanced bodybuilding, Testolone is one of the most popular SARMs for both first-timers and experienced users for a reason. It can accumulate amazing results in both lean muscle gain and strength increase, with manageable side effects.
You can read about its properties in greater detail in my generalized Rad 140 Guide, otherwise:
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The A and/or number in parentheses beside each benefit or side effect means that the information provided is based on anecdotal evidence, while the number refers to at least one clinical or animal trial that supports the claim. You can find the specific trial(s) at the end of the article.
Other benefits:
One can expect to gain a considerable amount of lean muscle during their RAD 140 cycle.
On a caloric surplus that translates to 8-10lbs of lean muscle.
On a small caloric deficit, that translates to 2-4lbs of lean muscle. On a big calorie deficit RAD 140 will retain all muscle during a cut.
These are of course the average values I’ve seen across anecdotal reports, with many factors in play – training variables like diet, programming, and recovery, as well as genetics and individual response to the drug.
To give you a rough visual idea of what to expect, you can check out these 10 before and after Rad-140 transformations, where I’ve collected and commented on well documented transformations from Reddit users.
RAD 140 should be taken for no more than 8 weeks at a time, and should be dosed once a day, at 10 – 20mg per day at the same time evert day.
|
Dose |
Cycle Length |
Dose Timing |
Half-Life |
PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10 – 20 mg/day |
8 weeks |
once a day, morning |
60 hours |
Recommended |
Empirical data points out that exceeding 20 mg/day has been shown to result in diminishing returns and a disproportional increase in side effects to benefits.
As per cycle length, if you’re using RAD 140 for the purpose of building muscle as a bulking cycle do not exceed 8 weeks. You will simply experience a halt in progress after that, and continuing the cycle to 10 or 12 weeks will result in diminishing returns, greater suppression, and a harder recovery.
This has been shown to be the case throughout hundreds upon hundreds of anecdotal reports. The reasoning behind why is still not set in stone, but a simple and logical explanation many come to is a myostatin increase response.
If using RAD 140 for the purpose of retaining muscle during a cutting cycle, then you could run it for 12 weeks. But it is not recommended.
The half-life of RAD 140 was proven to be 60 hours in a Phase 1 clinical trial. [1]
Because of the long half-life, RAD 140 can be dosed once a day for a constant and stable blood molecule concentration.
You should do your best to take it at the same time every day, ideally in the morning right after you wake up, because that’s the easiest way to be consistent and not miss a dose. You can take it on an empty stomach, or with a meal. It doesn’t affect its efficacy.
If you miss a dose, take RAD 140 as soon as you realize it. Do not EVER skip rest days.
Your muscles grow through a process called muscle protein synthesis, which takes place 48-72 hours after a workout. Thus RAD 140 should be taken every single day to leverage its benefits. Skipping a dose on rest days defeats the whole purpose of using it.
This is a very basic principle, and if you’re unfamiliar with it don’t take RAD 140 or any SARM for that matter.
The side effects that RAD 140 causes can be mitigated and sometimes even completely prevented by making environmental changes and using ancillary drugs and supplements.
I have an in-depth guide on side-effect mitigation, so I will only lay down a protocol for mitigating the side effects of RAD 140 for the context of this article.
During any RAD 140 cycle, one should take the following supplements as on-cycle-therapy to mitigate side effects:
Out of the bunch, the essentials are NAC and Fish Oil. Make sure you include them in your cycle.
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P.S. Make sure the RAD 140 you’re getting is legit. These are my recommended sources for the highest-quality goods available:
RAD 140 will suppress your natural testosterone production considerably. After your cycle, you will have to do PCT in the form of a SERM to reverse this effect.
Some users are able to recover their testosterone levels without the use of a SERM, but you should always have one at hand just in case.
If you’re taking more than 15 mg/day it is safe to assume that you will have to do a PCT.
PCT is only necessary if either one of these two conditions is met:
To accurately determine whether you need PCT after your RAD 140 cycle you will have to do bloodwork.
If doing bloodwork is not an option (for whatever reason), but you feel good and have no visible symptoms of low testosterone then you probably could get away without doing a PCT.
But I would still urge you to do one for your peace of mind. Needless to say, you will definitely need a PCT if you feel suppressed after a cycle.
How to Do Bloodwork
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SERMs are drugs that bodybuilders use to kickstart their natural testosterone production after a suppressive cycle.
If you determine that a PCT is warranted after your RAD 140 cycle, you will need to run 1 SERM for 4 weeks after the cycle.
Pick only one SERM from the table below. Take it for 4 weeks starting the day after your finish your RAD 140 cycle.
Any of the SERMs will do, but I personally recommend picking between Tamoxifen and Enclomiphene if you want to feel the absolute best for the duration of your PCT.
|
WEEK 1 |
WEEK 2 |
WEEK 3 |
WEEK 4 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
TAMOXIFEN |
20mg/day |
20mg/day |
20mg/day |
10mg/day |
|
ENCLOMIPHENE |
12.5mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
6.25mg/day |
|
|
30mg/day |
30mg/day |
30mg/day |
15mg/day |
|
|
50mg/day |
50mg/day |
50mg/day |
25mg/day |
|
|
60mg/day |
60mg/day |
60mg/day |
30mg/day |
If you’re running a dose higher than 15 mg/day of RAD 140, you could also go the SARM+SERM route as a non suppressive test base and all-in-one PCT. Click the link to learn more.
P.S. These are my recommended sources for the highest-quality SERMs available:
Due to the versatile properties of RAD 140, it can be used for both cutting and bulking cycles.
The dry and hard look, paired with the ability to retain, and gain muscle even in a small caloric deficit make it a great pick for users looking to lose body fat and get shredded.
My advice is to always use RAD 140 for lean bulking cycles, as it’s muscle-building potential would be otherwise wasted in a caloric deficit. For the purpose of retaining muscle during a cut, I advise sticking to mild SARMs like Ostarine, Andarine, ACP 105, and AC 262.
But this is just my opinion, and there are hundreds of anecdotal reports of satisfied users that used it for cutting cycles.
|
WEEK |
TESTOLONE |
TAMOXIFEN |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
10mg/day |
|
|
2 |
10mg/day |
|
|
3 |
10mg/day |
|
|
4 |
10mg/day |
|
|
5 |
10mg/day |
|
|
6 |
10mg/day |
|
|
7 |
10mg/day |
|
|
8 |
10mg/day |
|
|
9 |
20mg/day |
|
|
10 |
20mg/day |
|
|
11 |
20mg/day |
|
|
12 |
10mg/day |
This is your standard 10 mg/day RAD 140 cycle. Perfect if you’re a first-time user since you’re starting off with a small dose and observing how well you tolerate it side effect-wise.
This way you see whether or not you can tolerate a higher dose with minimal risk, instead of running into it headfirst.
You might or might not need a PCT, so have a SERM ready just in case. If it’s your first cycle you must do bloodwork at least once, before the cycle. Otherwise you’ll never get a second chance at seeing your baseline health markers.
In the example, I’ve utilized Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) as a PCT. But you can go with any of the SERMs.
|
WEEK |
RAD 140 (TESTOLONE) |
MK677 (IBUTAMOREN) |
ENCLOMIPHENE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
10mg/day |
10mg/day |
|
|
2 |
10mg/day |
10mg/day |
|
|
3 |
10mg/day |
10mg/day |
|
|
4 |
10mg/day |
10mg/day |
|
|
5 |
15mg/day |
10mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
|
6 |
15mg/day |
10mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
|
7 |
15mg/day |
10mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
|
8 |
15mg/day |
10mg/day |
6.25mg/day |
|
9 |
10mg/day |
||
|
10 |
10mg/day |
||
|
11 |
10mg/day |
||
|
12 |
10mg/day |
This example is a multi-compound cycle with the addition of MK677.
You will experience the muscle-building and strength benefits of RAD 140, paired with better sleep, recovery, and increased appetite from MK677.
If 10mg/day of RAD 140 is well-tolerated during the first 4 weeks, the dose can be increased to 15mg/day for the remainder. Alternatively, you can do 15 mg/day off the bat, but only if you know that you tolerate RAD 140 well.
On 15 mg/day, you will almost certainly have to do a PCT, and you might experience side effects of suppression in the second half of the cycle. Thus, in this particular example, Enclomiphene is used as SARM+SERM protocol and PCT.
The MK677 can be taken after the cycle as a PCT for an additional 4 weeks to help preserve and build muscle even further.
|
WEEK |
RAD 140 (TESTOLONE) |
YK11 |
MK677 (IBUTAMOREN) |
ENCLOMIPHENE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
15mg/day |
10mg/day |
||
|
2 |
15mg/day |
10mg/day |
||
|
3 |
15mg/day |
10mg/day |
||
|
4 |
15mg/day |
10mg/day |
||
|
5 |
20mg/day |
10mg/day |
10mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
|
6 |
20mg/day |
10mg/day |
10mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
|
7 |
20mg/day |
10mg/day |
10mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
|
8 |
20mg/day |
10mg/day |
10mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
|
9 |
10mg/day |
12.5mg/day |
||
|
10 |
10mg/day |
6.25mg/day |
||
|
11 |
10mg/day |
|||
|
12 |
10mg/day |
This example utilizes three compounds:
RAD 140 as the primary muscle builder, paired with YK11 as a secondary muscle builder and myostatin inhibitor, and lastly MK677 as a GH and IGF-1 secretagogue.
This cycle is reserved for the pros. Stacking YK11 at 5 – 10 mg/day with RAD 140 at 15 – 20 mg/day will lead to ridiculous muscle gains. The YK11 will work synergistically with RAD 140, and boost its muscle-building effects by inhibiting myostatin.
Pair that with the benefits of MK677, and RAD 140 at a high dose, and you have a stack stronger than many beginner AAS cycles.
On the side effect spectrum, you will experience complete HTPA shutdown, warranting a test base in the form of 4-Andro or DHEA, and a PCT with 2 SERMs. A simpler and equally effective way is by utilizing a SARM + SERM protocol again, which is what I’ve done in the example.
Note that only Enclomiphene is strong enough to be used as a test base for highly suppressive cycles like this one, and none of the other SERMs will work.
You are likely to experience side effects like hair shedding, dry joints (very common with YK11), dyslipidemia, and increased liver enzymes, all to some extent.
Now you know how to do a proper RAD 140 cycle, get the most out of it, mitigate as much of the side effects as possible, and completely avoid experiencing a SARM horror story.
This was an in depth guide, based on collecting anecdotal evidence, constantly reading studies, and talking to users online. It has collectively taken me hundreds of hours to craft this article.
So if you think what you read is valuable, please share it. You won’t find this kind of info anywhere else on the internet for free.
1. Muscle
2. Bones & Joints
3. Other Benefits
4. Testosterone Suppression
5. Cholesterol
6. Liver Toxicity
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