This is a complete guide to the legality of SARMs, MK 677 and Cardarine in 2023. As well as an answer to the common question; are SARMs legal in my country?
You will find this guide very useful if you have questions similar to these:
- Are SARMs legal to buy in my country
- Are MK 677 and Cardarine legal
- Which are the legal SARMs
We will answer all of these questions as well as other possible questions regarding the legality of SARMs. Let’s dive right in.
For those that want an answer right away:
SARMs, MK 677 and Cardarine are all completely legal to buy and use in every country in the world. An exception, however, is Australia.
The Australian laws regarding SARMs are a little different from the rest of the world. In Australia, SARMs, MK 677 as well as Cardarine are only legal to use with a doctor’s prescription.
If you want to know more about the legality of these compounds, stay tuned.
But first, let’s clear up the biggest confusion when it comes to these compounds. The “Research chemical” or “Not for human consumption” labels.
Research Chemicals label
SARMs, Cardarine and MK 677 are all sold under the labels of “Research Chemical” or “Not for human consumption”. This is actually a big reason why a lot of people are confused if these compounds are legal or not.
The reason, why these compounds are sold under those labels, is that they aren’t FDA (Food and Drug Administration), not yet at least. FDA must approve a compound for human usage so that it can be sold without the labels “Research Chemical” or “Not for human consumption”.
If a compound isn’t FDA approved, however, it can only be sold as a research chemical, hence the label “Research Chemical.
Obviously SARMs, MK 677 and Cardarine aren’t FDA approved for human consumption (yet) and because of that, they are all sold only as research chemicals. Basically, only for “research purposes”. In fact, this is also the reason why SARMs, MK 677 and Cardarine are rarely sold in pill form. Because pill form would imply that the compounds are intended for human usage.
To summarize:
SARMs, MK 677 and Cardarine aren’t FDA approved for human consumption and because of that, they have to be sold as research chemicals.
But the labels “Research chemical” and “Not for human consumption” have nothing to do with them being legal or illegal for people to buy and use.
Now let’s go over SARMs and explain their legality.
Are SARMs legal
There is a lot of confusion and misinformation about the legality of SARMs.
Before we go over the legality of SARMs, read this:
Currently, the laws in different countries all apply to every SARM, MK 677 and Cardarine. This means that if the law considers SARMs illegal in a country, that means that Ostarine, LGD 4033, RAD140, etc. are all illegal as well as MK 677 and Cardarine.
Let’s get to the point, as of October 2023, SARMs are 100% legal to buy and use in every country in the world, except for Australia (we will go over that later).
Check out this video if you want another explanation on the legality of SARMs. To save you some time, though, SARMs are legal to buy and use everywhere in the world as of now, with the exception of Australia (we will go over that later).
You have to know, however, that they are prohibited for use if you are a professional athlete. Let’s dive deeper into this.
SARMs in sports
SARMs, provide an obvious unfair advantage in sports (strength, muscle, endurance, etc.). Because of this, they are banned by almost all sports bodies, including the Olympics.
They are listed as a prohibited substance by the USADA (the United States Anti-Doping Agency) as well as the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency).
As you might imagine, however, a lot of professional athletes frequently use SARMs regardless of the ban. It takes about 10-14 days for SARMs to clear out of the body so that tests can’t detect them but a lot of athletes don’t know that. Because of this, a lot of them end up getting caught.
In the past few years, there have been a lot of athletes caught for using SARMs in sports such as cycling, MMA and CrossFit.
Don’t use SARMs if you are a professional athlete, it’s not fair.
Are SARMs legal in Australia
As we said, SARMs are legal to buy and use everywhere in the world except for Australia, the law there is a little different.
In Australia, SARMs are regulated by the TGA.
In Australia, SARMs are considered illegal without a doctor’s prescription. This is beacuse they are considered as a Schedule 4.
You can read more about it on the website of the Australian government.
Still, a lot of major fitness influencers OPENLY use SARMs on social media without getting into trouble. This is because even though SARMs are technically illegal to use in Australia (without a doctor’s prescription), you almost certainly won’t get in trouble for it. Nobody will ask you, hey, do you do SARMs and do you have a doctor’s prescription.
You can read more about this in our article on SARMs in Australia.
Are SARMs legal in the US
The United States is one of the biggest markets for SARMs in the world. A lot of the major SARMs companies are American.
So if we consider this, it’s not a surprise that SARMs are legal to buy and use in the US, at least for now. You won’t have any problems purchasing or using them at all.
In the future, however, some SARMs like S23 and YK11 are likely going to be banned in the US. This is just an assumption because those two aren’t very researched.
SARMs control act of 2019
In November 2019, a bill was passed called the SARMs control act of 2019. Obviously, this only affects the USA, but what does it actually mean?
To summarize, it gives the DEA (the United States Drug Enforcement Agency) the right to regulate SARMs the same way that they can regulate anabolic steroids.
Here are two quotes from the SARMs control act.
“The DEA needs to have the ability to control synthetic steroids that have not been tested by the FDA and are often marketed deceptively,”
“Our bipartisan legislation would expand the DEA’s authority to crack down on bad actors peddling synthetic steroids that pose a risk to consumers.”
Basically, the DEA will have authority to regulate SARMs in the USA. This doesn’t mean that you should be afraid or that SARMs are illegal.
It simply means that the DEA will be able to “crack down on bad actors” or in other words, DEA will be able to punish SARMs companies who don’t have the correct permissions (illegally sell) and those who sell SARMs spiked with other substances (falsely labeled).
Are SARMs legal in Canada
As of 2023, you are able to legally buy and use all SARMs for research purposes in Canada.
However, selling SARMs is not approved by the Canadian government and by the Canadian Border Services Agency.
To summarize, you are allowed to buy and use SARMs in Canada for research purposes.
Are SARMs legal in Europe
As of 2023, buying and using SARMs is legal in every European country.
You have to remember, however, that each European country has its own laws regarding SARMs.
Since there are a lot of countries in Europe, let’s go over some of the bigger ones and their laws regarding SARMs.
Are SARMs legal in the UK
Currently, SARMs are legal in the UK. You are able to buy and use them without any problems. In fact, some British companies even sell SARMs. One example of that would be receptorchem.
You are, however, not allowed to sell SARMs in the UK without a permit.
Are SARMs legal in Germany
Germany, along with the UK, is one of the biggest markets for SARMs in Europe.
As of 2023, SARMs are legal in Germany. You can buy and use them without breaking any laws. There are even a few German companies that successfully sell SARMs, I haven’t tried their products though.
Can you take SARMs on a plane
A lot of people frequently travel, either for work or to go on holidays. Anyways, if you are one of those people and you are doing or planning to do a SARM cycle, you need to be educated on the legality of travelling with SARMs.
As of 2023, it’s legal to take SARMs on a plane if you put them in a sealed-off bag just like you would store other liquids.
Basically, make sure to put your SARMs in a bag if you are going to take them on an plane.
International travel with SARMs
If you are travelling to another country with SARMs, there are a few things you have to keep in mind.
You are 100% allowed to travel with SARMs to other countries except for Australia. In Australia, you will need a doctor’s prescription for the compound to be allowed to travel with it. You almost certainly won’t be in any trouble but the airport staff might take your SARMs away.
Basically, it’s legal to travel internationally with SARMs as long as you aren’t travelling to Australia without a doctor’s prescription.
Are SARMs legal in the military
SARMs are very popular in the military but are they allowed?
As of 2023, SARMs are not allowed in the military. This doesn’t stop a lot of people in the military from using them though.
If you are in the military and your commanding officer suspects you for SARMs, you can get tested for them. This is very rare, however, which is one of the main reasons why SARMs are so popular in the military – very few people get actually caught for using them.
If you want to know more information about this, read our article about the SARMs military drug test.
Will SARMs stay legal
There isn’t a clear answer to this. Some SARMs such as YK11 and S23 are likely to get banned, but the more researched SARMs, such as Ostarine and Ligandrol are very unlikely to ever be illegal because of how useful they will be in modern medicine.
There is a bill waiting to be passed in the USA, which would put some SARMs (YK11 and S23) in the same category as Steroids and thus make them illegal. It’s called the SARMs control act. If the USA does pass this bill, most European countries will probably do the same.
So basically, the least researched SARMs, such as YK11 and S23 are in danger of getting banned. Other SARMs, however, such as Ostarine, RAD140, as well as LGD-4033, will most likely never be illegal because of how useful these compounds will be in modern medicine.
Another possibility, however, is that some countries will follow the same path as Australia by making SARMs legal only with a doctor’s prescription. But so far, only Australia and to some degree, Russia is doing this.
Furthermore, China recently slowed down on the production of SARMs (because of the situation with the virus), so the supply chain has been interrupted. If no other country begins producing them, there will soon be a huge drop in supply with an increase in demand. This means that the prices of SARMs will skyrocket
Legal SARMs
There is a big misconception with the term “Legal SARMs”. This is because some people think that only some SARMs are legal and others are illegal which is absoluletly not the case.
As of 2023, all SARMs are legal,in Australia, however, you need a doctor’s prescription as well.
In the future, the term Legal SARMs will probably make more sense because some SARMs are likely to get banned (S23 and YK11).
So in the future, you can expect the legal SARMs to be:
- Ostarine
- LGD 4033
- S4
- RAD140
These SARMs all have very promising studies, clinical as well as human trials. In the future, they are going to be very useful in modern medicine.
SARMs that will likely be illegal in the future are:
- S23
- YK11
YK11 as well as S23 will likely become “illegal SARMs” because of how strong and how unresearched they are.
As of right now, however, all of the SARMs that we just mentioned are legal.
Is Cardarine legal
Cardarine is often in the conversation when we talk about SARMs. It’s actually not a SARM at all, it’s a PPARδ receptor agonist. But is it legal?
Cardarine is sold under the labels of “Research Chemical” or “Not for human consumption” because it’s not FDA approved. This doesn’t have anything to do with its legality though.
As of 2023, Cardarine is 100% legal to buy and use in every country in the world except for Australia. Basically, exactly the same as the legality of SARMs.
In Australia, however, Cardarine is completely illegal. It’s considered to be a Schedule 9 compound by the TGA and it isn’t allowed even if you have a doctor’s prescription for it.
To summarize, you can buy and use Cardarine in every country in the world except for Australia, where it’s completely illegal
Cardarine in sports
Cardarine, just like SARMs, is prohibited in competitive sports. It’s a prohibited substance by almost all sports organizations because of the enormous endurance advantage that it gives.
Cardarine is listed as a prohibited substance in professional sports by the USADA (the United States Anti-Doping Agency) and the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency).
An interesting fact is that it’s extremely hard to test somebody for Cardarine dosage. In fact, Lance Armstrong was using Cardarine (along with some other compounds) to help him secure 10 Tour de France victories. He was actually never caught doping, he admitted to it in an Oprah interview.
Will Cardarine stay legal
As we said, Cardarine is not FDA approved. It will most likely never get FDA approved because of the study in 2008 which was the reason for the discontinuation of this compound. You can read more about this in our article where we answer the question “is Cardarine safe“.
So basically, Cardarine will most likely stay legal. It’s very unlikely, however, that it ever gets FDA approved. Because of this, it will probably stay a research chemical forever.
In other words, Cardarine is likely to stay legal but it will never get approved for human consumption.
Is MK 677 legal
Similar to Cardarine, MK 677 is not a SARM. A lot of people mistake it for a SARM but it’s actually a growth hormone secretagogue.
As of 2023, MK 677 is 100% legal to buy and use in every country in the world except for Australia.
Cardarine is sold under the labels of “Research Chemical” or “Not for human consumption” because it’s not FDA approved yet. This doesn’t have anything to do with its legality though.
In Australia, just like with SARMs and Cardarine, MK 677 is legal only with a doctor’s prescription.
MK 677 in sports
It’s worth noting that MK 677, just like SARMs and Cardarine, is prohibited in competitive sports because of the unfair advantages that it provides. Increased strength, reduced recovery time, etc. It’s banned by most sports organizations, including the Olympics.
An interesting thing about MK 677 is that it’s very hard for sports organizations to test for it. Still, you shouldn’t use it if you are a competing athlete. It’s listed as a banned substance by the USADA (the United States Anti-Doping Agency) and the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency).
Will MK 677 stay legal
MK 677 is a very researched compound that is backed by a lot of studies as well as human studies. Much like Ostarine and LGD-4033, MK 677 is also going through clinical trials right now.
In the future, MK 677 will be very useful in modern medicine and because of that, it will most likely never be illegal.
This means that MK 677 will almost definitely stay legal forever.
is SR9009 legal
SR9009, also known as Stenabolic, is often in the conversation when it comes to SARMs so I felt that it would be appropriate to go over it’s legality as well.
It’s not as popular of a compound like Cardarine or MK 677, but still, a lot of people take it without even knowing its legality.
Basically, SR9009 is not FDA approved for human consumption. It’s currently completely illegal (just like Cardarine) in Australia, because it’s a Schedule 9 compound.
In every other country, however, you can legally buy and use SR9009. You have to know, however, that it’s only meant for research purposes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SARMs, MK 677 and Cardarine are all completely legal to buy and use in all countries except for Australia where you need a doctor’s prescription to use these compounds. There is talk about potential regulation of SARMs in certain countries. It will take at least a few years for that to happen though.
In the future, certain SARMs like S23 and YK11 are in danger of becoming prohibited. Other SARMs, especially Ostarine, LGD 4033 however, will almost certainly stay legal because of their potential use in modern medicine. The same can be said about MK 677, Cardarine, on the other hand, will probably continue being a research chemical.
Remember that SARMs, MK 677 and Cardarine are all prohibited in competitive sports. This is because of the unfair advantages that they provide.
FAQ
Let’s go over some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the legality of SARMs.
Are SARMs legal to buy
As of 2023, SARMs are legal to buy and use in every country in the world except for Australia. If you want to legally buy or use SARMs in Australia, you need a doctor’s prescription for them.
Are SARMs allowed in the Military
SARMs are very popular in the military because very few people get caught for using them. They are, however, not allowed.
Are MK 677 and Cardarine legal to buy
MK 677 and Cardarine are exactly like SARMs when it comes to the legality. You can legally buy and use them everywhere in the world except for Australia. If you want to use these compounds in Australia, you need a doctor’s prescription for them.
