Both SARMs and prohormones are powerful PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs) that can help you achieve your goals.
There are some differences between the two and in this article, I will present both of these compounds in an objective manner.
We will put them side by side and see how they perform against each other when it comes to benefits, side effects, pricing and so on.
What Are SARMs
SARM is an acronym standing for selective androgen receptor modulator; they are androgen receptor ligands.
This means that they selectively bond to the androgen receptor and exert effects usually associated with steroids but without all the side effects of the latter.
While this implies SARMs would be an excellent choice for muscle wasting diseases such as osteoporosis, not one SARM has been approved by the FDA.
Despite that, thousands of men use SARMs for their muscle-building properties as well as their ability to add strength, bone density, etc.
Some of the most popular SARMs are Ostarine, Ligandrol and RAD 140.
What Are Prohormones
As the name implies, prohormones are literally “for hormones” in the sense that they are precursors to actual hormones in the body.
This essentially means that you could be taking a completely legal prohormone, without a prescription, and later watch it turn into pure testosterone in the body!
Needless to say, not all prohormones are androgen prohormones but it’s only natural that these substances are amongst the most popular choices.
Prohormones used to be widely popular in the US before President Bush and later President Obama, signed acts which made them both illegal to manufacture and distribute.
The most popular prohormones are 1-Androsterone, Arimistane and Epiandrosterone.
SARMs VS Prohormones | Ease of Access
While most prohormones are essentially illegal, some of them slipped through the cracks and are in a gray area, like SARMs.
I’m not going to pretend that prohormones, even illegal ones, are hard to get.
In reality, they are just a few clicks away.
While I obviously don’t condone such behavior, it’s important to note that the reason why you shouldn’t go for the illegal ones is lack of quality control.
These vendors who peddle prohormones on the black market get this stuff in bulk from China.
Trust me, they don’t give two damns about your health and are mostly there to make a quick buck.
On the other hand, the legality of SARMs is still unclear, which means you will have no trouble buying them online.
All in all, SARMs are the better option here as they have some quality control and vendors aren’t breaking the law by selling them.
SARMs VS Prohormones | Benefits
The truth is, even the strongest SARM, I’m thinking of S23 in this instance, is still less potent than the weakest prohormone.
The reason for that is obvious; prohormones are quasi-steroids!
With SARMs, you’ll get increased muscle mass, strength, energy levels and so on.
However, prohormones will do all that but at a higher intensity.
This means that you’ll get bigger and better results using prohormones compared to SARMs.
Prohormones are the clear winner here.
SARMs VS Prohormones | Route of Administration
While some people unfamiliar with prohormones might think they are necessarily injected, that’s not quite right.
Prohormones can be taken orally, which might seem convenient but side effects such as increased hepatotoxicity are a real problem.
On the other hand, SARMs can be taken orally, injected and sublingually.
To be quite fair, there isn’t a clear winner here when we strictly look at the options presented.
However, I skew towards SARMs as their proclivity for liver damage is far lower compared to prohormones.
SARMs VS Prohormones | Side Effects
I’ve already described SARMs as the weaker PED in a previous chapter but what about side effects?
Contrary to popular belief, SARMs may or may not have a lot of side effects.
It all depends on the SARM and dosage taken.
For example, if you’re a newbie to SARMs and take 20mgs of YK11 per day, it’s only natural that you’ll experience a myriad of adverse effects.
However, if you pre plan your cycle, research your options, do your due diligence, you’re very likely to have a good time.
On the flip side of the coin, prohormones have side effects like gyno, aggression, testicular atrophy, acne, hair loss…
While some of the stronger SARMs can also have these effects, they won’t be as pronounced as in prohormones.
In conclusion, SARMs have a better side effect profile and therefore take home the bacon.
SARMs VS Prohormones | Pricing
The prices of SARMs and prohormones vary quite a lot depending on your vendor.
An average monthly supply of SARMs will set you back around 55$, give or take.
It’s a similar story with prohormones, although prices might vary massively depending on your source.
To be perfectly fair, you shouldn’t look at the price tag of the compounds you’re imbuing.
After all, it’s expected that the higher the price tag, the better the product and service.
Therefore, this entire pricing debacle is pointless.
There are no winners here, although I would never risk buying prohormones on the black market in fear of legal repercussions.
Conclusion
In a perfect world, both SARMs and prohormones would be completely legal and people would have the liberty to decide what and when to take.
That obviously isn’t the case.
For that reason, I prefer SARMs as they are still legal and easy to buy at my recommended companies.
