By: M.G. Thibault. Edited: Ryan McTeigue
While scientists continue and progress in SARMs research, studies are increasingly assessing how to push the boundaries of SARMs development to maximize their potency, bioavailability, half-life and tissue selectivity, while minimizing side effects. Over 50 years of androgen research has resulted to one of the most cutting-edge SARM – MK-2866 (Decavar®).
MK-2866, otherwise known as Ostarine or Decavar® is a compound developed by the company Gtx Inc. In 2009, initially designed to fight muscle wasting diseases like cancers in all forms. MK-2866 went through numerous phases of trials from roughly 2005 through 2014. MK-2866 was studied and tested for its effectiveness against different medical conditions. It has a molar mass of 389.33g/mol and its melting point is 270°F to 277°F or 132°C to 136°C, rendering its stability even at higher temperatures, scientifically MK2866 is a sturdy compound.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907129/
https://www.elitesarms.com/collections/individual-sarms/products/decavar-mk2866
Pharmacodynamics of MK-2866
MK-2866 is an orally available non-steroidal SARM (all Sarms are non-steroidal despite having steroid like results, an amazing fact in and of itself) that has shown promising results in both preclinical and clinical trials, and is currently being studied for a number of different indications.
MK-2866, popularly known as Decavar is a selective androgen receptor modulator, which aims to increase the growth of muscle mass and improve strength. This main action occurring through the drastic increase of repair and rejuvenation of collagen. Collagen being the material located throughout the body in: muscle, bone, tendons, ligaments, organs, blood vessels, skin, intestinal lining and all other connective tissue. It’s this collagen increase and modulation of repair that attributes to Ostarines muscle building, muscle and joint rejuvenation, muscle conditioning and strength increasing properties. The compound also prevents muscle wasting that occurs in diseased states, fasted states and accompanies aging.
What is MK-2866’s mechanism of action?
MK 2866 is highly selective and only binds to bone and muscle androgen receptors while simultaneously modulating collagen as previously mentioned. What is so impressive about this novel substance is that it has multi-functional properties and the product can be used for not only building muscle mass, but for the regeneration of joints, muscles, and connective tissues. The substance proves to be a great bone regenerating supplement fortifying bones and prominently enhancing the strength and density of them. Structural improvements in post-menopausal female subjects were proven in lab testing resulting in bone improvements such as increased bone mineral density and increased bone volume density. You can then imagine the bone fortifying results a trained athlete will receive when the application of MK2866 is introduced to their training regime.
A 2019 study in the University of Life Science researched the effect of MK-2866 on fat cells of lab rats. The research results demonstrated:
The stimulation of androgen receptor expression. Whereby the metabolism was improved by facilitating the mRNA and protein expression of Androgen Receptors.
Decavar MK-2866 stimulates lipolysis. Investigations found that as little as 1 μM (micromole) of MK-2866, roused lipolysis in isolated rat adipocytes (fat cells) after just 120 and 480 minutes of incubation.
MK-2866 inhibits lipogenesis (fat creation). In animal studies MK-2866 displayed a marked effect on the halting of glucose (carbohydrates) to lipids (fats) in the lab. When MK-2866 is added to animal adipocytes (fat cells), it also inhibited (ceased or reduced) the rate of fat creation in those test subjects.
Decavar MK-2866 modulates the expression and secretion of leptin. Leptin is a hormone that sits in the stomach lining and basically tells the brain when you are full. When this signal is disrupted one will continue to eat beyond the bodies energy requirements – and disrupted leptin levels are the culprit of these signals to the brain telling one to eat more.
Leptin levels being low or disrupted (usually via consuming inflammatory creating foods) are directly associated with adipose tissue mass (fat tissue mass). Leptin concentrations are directly connected to cases such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and myocardial infarction, both of which are more commonly seen in the aging population. Experiments showed that by administering MK-2866 to isolated rat adipocytes, leptin gene expression was normalised.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29785666/
http://www.jpp.krakow.pl/journal/archive/08_19/pdf/10.26402/jpp.2019.4.04.pdf
https://www.elitesarms.com/collections/individual-sarms/products/decavar-mk2866
Dosing
Most MK-2866 cycles last between 8 and 12 weeks. The cycle for beginners on average begins with a lower dosage of 10mg. With more experience in the use of SARMs, the dose can be increased, but the entire cycle should not last more than 12 weeks.
Decavar® is highly anabolic especially when paired with a well-calculated balanced diet including adequate, quality protein, good fats and complex carbs. Leaving the weekends or set days to eat outside these healthy foods and replenish the inner child through “cheat meal”. Then jumping straight back onto the horse and riding the nutrient rich diet once again. For us normal to serious training folk a good nutrition split is 80/20; 80% clean nutrition with 20% for not so clean, not so nutrient dense cheat meals. But that’s a whole other blog…….
Future Trends
The research community is now looking on esterification of MK-2866, a process in which the compound is altered to increase the half-life and biological action of the compound. So Instead of taking 1 dosage of Decavar® daily this could lead to only having to take 3, 2 or 1 dosages in a weekly period. Although this process is in the early experimental stages, the pharmacological optimization of one of the most documented and widely used SARMs – Decavar® (MK2866) offers a fresh take and may open up more exciting avenues for SARMs research.