The next generation of anabolic steroids will be selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) that target androgen receptors in specific tissues such as muscle or bone. SARMs are the 'Holy Grail' of anabolic drugs because they build muscles without affecting other organs or tissues. These drugs will help promote bone and muscle growth, promote healing following traumatic injuries, and invariably help athletes improve performance.
Current anabolic steroids (including testosterone) bind and activate androgen receptors throughout the body, and their effects are not specific to any tissue. While they turn on protein synthesis in muscle, they also bind to androgen receptors in the prostate, sex organs, heart, liver, skin, and brain, which cause unwanted effects in non-target tissues.
General receptor binding causes side effects, such as acne, prostate enlargement, thickening of the blood, and masculinization in women and children. SARMs target specific androgen sites in muscles and do not bind to receptors in other tissues, which minimizes side effects and improves the usefulness of the drugs.
Joshua Yarrow from the VA Hospital in Gainesville, Florida and colleagues reported that the synthetic testosterone trenbolone has SARM-like effects because it is highly anabolic in skeletal muscle but has minimal side effects in other tissues. (Steroids, in press; published online February 2010)
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Originally Posted by Vullfromsc
