The Dangers of Unregulated SARMS for Teenagers

Joseph Black, now 23, recalls the moment he first encountered selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMS) on YouTube at age 17. Videos of men with sculpted physiques claimed these 'performance-enhancing drugs' could deliver results without health risks. By 18, his testosterone levels had plummeted to those of an 80-year-old, a consequence of the unregulated supplement he had begun taking. SARMS, a class of compounds designed to mimic the effects of testosterone, have become a growing concern among public health officials. Despite being classified as research chemicals, they are widely marketed online and sold to teenagers who believe they are 'vitamins' or 'lean muscle boosters.'

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society warns that SARMS are not approved for human consumption and lack long-term safety data. Laura Wilson, the society's lead on SARMS, explains that these compounds are not subject to regulation, leaving users vulnerable to unknown risks. Social media platforms, however, have become a breeding ground for their promotion. Influencers with muscular physiques often advocate their use, overlaying videos with slogans like 'Risk it' or 'Teenagers lied about their age just to fight in WW2 but you are too scared to take SARMS?' Such content has been viewed over 587 million times on platforms like TikTok, according to a 2023 report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

UK-based companies like UK Sarms, which markets itself as 'The UK & Europe's #1 Sarms Supplier,' openly promotes the use of these compounds for 'muscle gain stacks' and 'speeding up recovery.' Despite disclaimers stating products are for 'research settings,' the company provides dosage recommendations on its website, such as 10mg/day for beginners and 30mg/day for experienced users. When contacted about selling these unregulated chemicals in breach of UK regulations, the company responded with no reply. The Daily Mail has since passed evidence of the purchase to Norfolk Trading Standards for further investigation.

Parents are being urged to take a proactive role in educating their children about the dangers of SARMS. Joseph, who now avoids all performance-enhancing drugs, warns that users will go to great lengths to hide their habits. 'Kids who are on these will do anything to stop you finding out,' he says. He advises parents to research SARMS themselves and have open conversations with their children about the risks, including liver damage, infertility, and kidney failure. 'You could be saving your children from a whole host of other problems,' he adds.

Enforcement agencies face mounting pressure to crack down on the proliferation of SARMS. While social media platforms have taken steps to remove videos promoting these drugs, many still evade detection. TikTok, for example, removed a video referencing World War II after being alerted, but similar content resurfaced quickly. YouTube claims it prohibits content encouraging dangerous activities, yet videos promoting SARMS remain online. Experts like Tony D'Agostino, who has studied the rise of these compounds, argue that government action is needed to close legal loopholes and hold platforms accountable for enabling the spread of harmful content.

Dan Watson, a fitness trainer who has encountered numerous teenagers on SARMS, highlights the urgency of the issue. 'I get 13, 14, 15-year-olds contacting me saying they already know where to get them,' he says. His response is always the same: 'Get off that immediately.' The lack of regulation and the allure of quick results have created a dangerous cycle, one that public health officials are struggling to break. As Joseph puts it, the solution lies in a combination of stricter enforcement, education, and a reckoning with the role of social media in normalizing these substances.