1. Osteoporosis
Ligandrol binds to the androgen receptors in bone cells and stimulates the activity of osteoblasts. Osteoblasts are the bone cells mainly responsible for the formation of bone and mineral deposition. One study was designed to assess the effect of VK5215 on osteoporosis using ovariectomized rats. The subjects were administered ligandrol at doses of 0.03, 0.3, or 3 mg/kg body weight.
The researchers found that rats treated with a 3 mg dose exhibited improvements in structural properties of bone, specifically in terms of trabecular number in the femur, lumbar vertebral bodies, and tibia. However, this higher dose was also associated with an increase in the size of the heart and uterus. On the other hand, lower and medium doses did not significantly affect bone tissue and resulted in less side effects [1].
2. Liver Injury
Numerous case reports suggest a potential link between the use of SARMs and liver injury. For example, one case study found that two young men experienced liver injury after discontinuing ligandrol while undergoing post-cycle therapy [2].
Similarly, another case documented liver injury in a 34-year-old man who had used ligandrol. The lab reports of the patients revealed elevated levels of AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin [3].
3. Muscle Health
Hormonal decline with age is associated with the loss of muscle health and function. It has been shown that ligandrol can counteract these changes and boost muscle strength and mass. One study was conducted to check the effect of LGD-4033 on muscles using an ovariectomized rat model. The surgical removal of ovaries in the rat led to diminishing hormone levels associated with worsening muscle function.
The result found that the treatment group exhibited increased citrate synthase, improved capillary density and lactate dehydrogenase activity compared to the control group. Additionally, the administration of 4 mg of ligandrol led to a higher intramuscular fat content in the quadriceps femoris muscle [4]. The muscle mass-boosting effects of ligandrol were confirmed by a randomized clinical trial in humans. It found that ligandrol increased lean body and muscle mass in a dose-dependent manner [5].
4. Bone Fracture
As ligandrol has been shown to improve bone mineral density, it might also speed up the healing of fractured bones. A phase II trial was conducted to check the impact of ligandrol on individuals recovering from hip fractures. Patients were randomly assigned to receive varying doses of ligandrol (0.5mg, 1mg, 2mg) or a placebo.
The results revealed that those treated with the drug showed a dose-dependent improvement in the six-minute walk distance. Plus, the highest dose (2mg) increased the mean distance by 20 meters as compared to the control group. Additionally, the treatment group showed an increase in bone turnover marker and serum procollagen type 1 peptide. Furthermore, positive changes were observed in lean body mass, accompanied by a reduction in fat mass [6].