February 13, 2025
PETALING JAYA – It’s two months into the new year and many are continuing to pursue their fitness goals to improve their health and bulk-up their physiques.
The process, which can be challenging and time-consuming, however, has tempted some to cut corners with some gym rats turning to Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, otherwise known as SARMs.
Often marketed by sellers as a “less harmful” alternative compared to anabolic steroids, experts, however, warn that the product is far from harmless.
Checks on several social media and e-commerce platforms found SARMs marketed and sold openly.
They are available in capsule form, with sellers even giving instructions on how it should be consumed and promoting it as “necessary” to bulk up.
Sellers also claim the product “increases muscle mass, helps in weight gain and promotes strength for heavy workout, an appetite stimulant and fastens the recovery process”.
The bottles and packets containing the capsules are sold from RM130 to RM300, depending on the type of drug and quantity.
Checks on the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency website found that variants of the product are unregistered, making them illegal to buy and sell.
SARMs are also listed as a banned substance under the Anti-Doping Agency Malaysia (Adamas) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) prohibition list.
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Consultant sports medicine physician Dr Arvin Raj Goonasegaran likened the use of SARMs and other performance enhancing drugs (PED) to a “get rich quick” scheme.
“Being on a prolonged well planned diet with proper exercise programming is hard, hence using performance enhancers is a sought-after way to get to that end goal much quicker and easier, with a possible health trade-off,” he said.
Among the common side effects of its usage are Hepatotoxicity (liver injury), yellow vision, spontaneous tendon ruptures and even cardiac ailments, Dr Arvin Raj said, referencing a 2023 systematic review on the recreational use of SARMs among healthy adults.
He expressed concern over the purity of the products, citing a 2017 study which found only 41% of SARMs sold online actually contained what was on the label.
“Is there a safe way to consume them? No, unless it is a medical necessity to take any of these hormones.
“Clinical treatment for hypogonadism is also different as these patients are treated for the lack of such hormones, and the sole aim of the treatment is to restore their physiological levels,” he said.
GRAPHICS: THE STAR
Dr Arvin Raj said SARMs is a relatively newcomer to the scene and commonly marketed to have all the benefits as PEDs with minimal to no side effects.
“Hence, those wanting to try PEDs with ‘minimal side effects’ will fall for the SARMs trap.
“Not only is it used among competitive physique athletes but also recreationally by regular gym- goers looking to achieve a more muscular and leaner look,” he said, reiterating that SARMs is a PED.
Other PEDs include anabolic steroids that are a controlled substance and could only be purchased with a medical prescription.
He expressed further concerns over the sale of these products online.
“Even more worrying is how they can be purchased on e-commerce platforms easily,” he said.
When contacted, a Health Ministry senior official said they will look into the matter.
Earlier this year, the Perak Health Department together with the Health Ministry’s Pharmacy Enforcement division confiscated over RM2mil in unregistered bodybuilding supplements and cosmetics in a coordinated effort.
The operation, named Ops Pharma 2.0 and Ops Gudang, targeted the sale of unregistered body stimulants containing anabolic steroids and non-notified cosmetics sold online.
In March last year, the Selangor Health Department seized more than RM220,000 worth of bodybuilding products containing anabolic steroids.
In July last year, the Johor Health Department seized RM2.3mil worth of unregistered anabolic steroids in Ops Gym.