RAD-140 is widely marketed as the strongest SARM, yet the human record consists of an early-phase oncology programme and a growing set of liver injury case reports. Preclinical anabolic potency is real; human safety characterisation is close to absent.
Key points
- Human exposure data comes mainly from a phase I breast cancer study, not from athletic or healthy-volunteer dosing.
- Published case reports describe severe drug-induced liver injury, including prolonged cholestasis, in young men using online RAD-140.
- Marked suppression of endogenous testosterone is consistently described.
- Doses discussed in community protocols are typically well above anything formally evaluated.
What the literature shows
Preclinical work characterised RAD-140 as a potent, tissue-selective androgen receptor agonist with anabolic effects on muscle and bone in animal models.
The oncology development programme evaluated RAD-140 in a small early-phase population with existing disease and concomitant treatment, which limits any inference about healthy users.
Multiple independent case reports document hepatocellular and mixed-pattern liver injury following RAD-140 obtained online, in several cases with jaundice lasting months after cessation.
Analytical surveys of products sold as RAD-140 repeatedly find incorrect content, undeclared compounds or substitution with cheaper SARMs.
What remains unknown
- No controlled trial has assessed RAD-140 in healthy adults at the doses used recreationally.
- The frequency of liver injury is unknown because the exposed population is undefined.
- Cardiovascular and long-term endocrine effects are entirely uncharacterised in humans.
Safety and monitoring implications
- Liver injury is the best-documented serious harm; jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, severe itching or persistent nausea require urgent medical assessment.
- Suppression should be assumed. Recovery is not guaranteed to be quick and may need clinical management.
- Because product identity is frequently wrong, actual exposure cannot be inferred from the label.
Cited literature
- 1.Miller CP, Shomali M, Lyttle CR, et al. (2011). Design, synthesis, and preclinical characterization of the selective androgen receptor modulator RAD140. ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters. Find on PubMed
- 2.Barbara M, Dhingra S, Mindikoglu AL. (2020). Drug-induced liver injury associated with alpha bolic (RAD-140) and alpha elite (RAD-140 and LGD-4033). ACG Case Reports Journal. Find on PubMed
- 3.Leung K, Yaramada P, Goyal P, et al. (2022). RAD-140 drug-induced liver injury. Ochsner Journal. Find on PubMed
Community reports
Anecdotal — not scientific evidence
Lived experience is valuable context and often surfaces problems before the literature does. It is also uncontrolled, unverified and subject to bias, so it never overrides published findings here.
Australian training forums, aggregated threads
MixedStrength gains are described as rapid and pronounced, with frequent reports of aggression, poor sleep and a difficult post-use period.
Harm-reduction discussion groups
NegativeRecurring accounts of raised liver enzymes found on bloodwork, sometimes without symptoms, prompting mid-cycle cessation.
Buying Testolone / RAD-140 in Australia: what to check first
APEDRA does not sell Testolone / RAD-140 or any other product, and takes no commission from suppliers. If you are researching where to buy it, the biggest practical risk is not the compound itself but what is actually in the bottle: under-dosing, substitution with a different compound, and contamination are all documented in independent testing of online research chemicals.
- Ask for a batch-specific third-party lab report (HPLC/mass spectrometry), not a generic certificate.
- Check independent review platforms, not only reviews hosted on the seller's own site.
- Read the shipping, returns and refund policies before ordering.
- Be wary of prices far below the market or exaggerated results claims.
Compare Australian vendors independently · how we assess suppliers
Terms used here are defined in our glossary, and the evidence-grading scale explains what this analysis's grade means. If you believe something here is wrong, tell us.
This analysis is educational. It is not medical advice, a dosing recommendation, or an endorsement of use. Speak with a qualified medical practitioner about your circumstances.