In recent years, the fitness and bodybuilding communities have witnessed a surge in interest surrounding Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs). These compounds have gained popularity due to their potential to promote muscle growth, enhance performance, and aid in fat loss, all while purportedly reducing the unwanted side effects typically associated with traditional anabolic steroids. One SARM that gained popularity recently is YK11. Is it worth the hype?
What is YK11?
YK11 is a SARM with unique properties. Belonging to the 19-Nor (Nandrolone) family of steroidal SARMs, it is supposed to lower Myostatin, which is the ultimate limiting factor for muscle growth. YK11 gives a dry and sunken-in look that is similar to the look you get while on RAD140. For a side-by-side comparison to rad 140 click here.
How Does YK11 Work?
YK11, just like all SARMs, works by binding to androgen receptors in a tissue-specific manner. When these compounds interact with the receptors, they trigger a cascade of events that lead to an increase in muscle protein synthesis, muscle hypertrophy, and enhanced fat metabolism.
The selective nature of SARMs is what makes them attractive, as it reduces the risk of side effects like liver toxicity, gynecomastia, and hair loss that are commonly associated with traditional steroids.
In addition, YK11 is also well known for its purported ability to inhibit myostatin – a protein that limits the growth of muscle cells.
Thus, it is almost always stacked with other SARMs to leverage this unique property.
Benefits of YK11
Myostatin Inhibition: Myostatin is a protein that prevents the growth of muscle cells. From an evolutionary aspect, holding too much muscle mass is an inconvenience for survival as it increases TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) drastically.
The way YK-11 is supposed to inhibit myostatin is by causing a spike in the production of Follistatin, an antagonist to Myostatin.
Muscle Growth:It is difficult to say how much muscle you can put on using YK-11 alone as it’s usually stacked with other compounds.
Still anecdotal data shows that this drug is very potent and some “juice heads’ ‘ who’ve used it said it yielded similar effects to trenbolone.
Strength and Performance:YK is very potent at increasing strength and performance.
Enhanced Recovery:Recovery is significantly faster on YK-11, but the true extent of the increase in recovery is unknown, still many users experience a level of recovery that no other SARM can equal.
Aesthetics: YK11 is a dry compound, meaning that it won’t make you gain any water weight. It is often compared to Winstrol and Masteron for the very dry and vascular look it can give.
YK11 Side Effects
Testosterone Suppression:YK11 is very suppressive to the HPTA
Negative Impact on Lipids: YK11 will have a very bad effect on lipids.
Liver Toxicity:YK-11 is a methylated oral AAS, unlike the other SARMs. This means that YK11 is significantly more liver toxic than other SARMs.
Androgenic Side Effects: YK11 use is associated with reports of hair loss and significant increase in aggression.
Blood Pressure Increase: YK11 is notorious for being one of the SARMs if not the SARM that increases resting blood pressure the most.
If using this compound, resting blood pressure, and resting heart rate should be monitored very carefully.